In the past two months, the IDF and the Shin Bet inflicted a heavy blow to the Lions’ Den terrorist group in Nablus, they killed and arrested several of its members and put pressure on it together with the security forces of the PA to disarm and stop terrorist activities.
About 15 members of the group turned themselves in to me The Palestinian Authority handed over their weapons and are going to be integrated into the Palestinian security forces.
However, the Lions’ Den group continues its terrorist activities and shooting attacks against the IDF forces, officials in Nablus claim that it is recovering quickly.
During the last two weeks, the Lions’ Den group announced several shooting attacks it carried out against the IDF forces in the Nablus area and even called for a general strike in the West Bank which took place only in the city of Nablus, it seems that the group lost much of its popularity in the field because of the strong blow it received from the IDF and the Shin Bet and because some of its members turned themselves in to the PA.
On December 7, a special force of the IDF entered the Old City of Nablus to arrest one of the wanted terrorists but it encountered strong fire from members of the Lions’ Den group and according to the group it was forced to retreat from the scene without arresting any wanted terrorist because of their strong resistance through shooting and explosive charges that were thrown at the force.
In a statement issued by the group, it declared a high alert among all its members and the members of the other armed groups in Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron and Jenin.
The return of the Lions’ Den group to full activity is a bad sign for what is to be expected in the West Bank in the coming weeks, it indicates that the Palestinian Authority has failed to convince the other members of the group to turn themselves in and surrender their weapons and that the deterrent measures that Israel has taken against the members of the group are not sufficient.
The Lions’ Den group continues to receive great support from the residents of the Nablus region and the other armed groups in the region such as the “Nablus Battalion” and the “Balata Battalion”.
The IDF major arrest operation that has been going on for ten months is not enough to stop the wave of terrorism and the attacks continue despite the arrest of the wanted terrorists and the security coordination with the PA.
The IDF and the Shin Bet have not yet succeeded in disbanding the core of the Lions’ Den group and it continues to operate from the old city of Nablus and recruit new members, according to sources in Nablus, the Lions’ Den group will soon try to go out again to the main roads in the Nablus area to attack Israeli vehicles and IDF patrols.
The renewal of attacks by the Lions’ Den group requires extensive action by the IDF, the occupation of the old city of Nablus, which is the group’s stronghold, and the arrest or killing of its members.
The continued activity of the armed groups in the northern West Bank and the intensive activity of the IDF against them was discussed at the tenth conference of the Revolutionary Council of Fatah this week in Ramallah, the decision that was made is very worrying and it calls for the expansion of “popular resistance” against Israel and participation in it.
Even the chairman of the PA, Abu Mazen, who since the second intifada in 2000 has publicly opposed an armed intifada against Israel, is showing signs that he may change his position.
In an interview he gave to the Saudi Al-Arabiya channel, he did not for the first time rule out the possibility that he would adopt the idea of an armed struggle against Israel and said:
“I do not currently support military resistance against Israel, but it is possible that I will change my mind at any moment, I will change my mind and everything will change”.
This is a worrying sign that Israel must pay attention to, Abu Mazen does not rule out the possibility that he will follow the path of armed struggle taken by Yasser Arafat in the second intifada.
