Fadi Kafisha
Encyclopedia
Fadi Kafisha was the head of the Tanzim
in Nablus
. Kafisha was responsible for organizing many suicide bombings
and other attacks on Israel
is and creating many explosive belt
s.
In 2004 Kafisha was wounded during a confrontation with IDF
soldiers and his arm was amputated
. His contact in Lebanon working for Hezbollah, Kais Ubaid, sent him an artificial arm from Germany
. Apparently, Kafisha continued to lead the Nablus Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
with this arm. During another attempt to capture Kafisha it is alleged he lost his eye. During the al-Aqsa Intifada
Kafisha took the leading initiative in preparing terror attacks on Israelis, yet the military checkpoints surrounding Nablus denied most of them exit, and Kafisha's activities were frustrated. Though overshadowed by more publicity-friendly terrorists like Zakaria Zubeidi
, Kafisha was instrumental in transforming Nablus into the "terror capital of the West Bank," and when he was killed the Brigades were already planning a wave of terror attacks against Israeli civil and military targets on the West Bank.
On July 17, 2006, a bomb attack in Nablus organized by Kafisha killed an Israeli soldier and wounded six others.
On August 31, 2006, Kafisha was killed during a random ambush
by the Israeli 93rd "Haruv" battalion
of the Kfir Brigade. The killing of Kafisha was unexpected, in that he had been in hiding for much of the past decade, and only later did the Israelis discover that they had killed the man described as the most-wanted man in the West Bank. Kafisha's status placed him only behind the leaders of Hamas's
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
, Mohammed Deif
and Ahmad Jaberi of the Gaza Strip
in terms of notoriety in the Israeli intelligence wanted lineup.
Tanzim
Tanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
in Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. Kafisha was responsible for organizing many suicide bombings
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
and other attacks on Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is and creating many explosive belt
Explosive belt
An explosive belt is an improvised explosive device, a belt or a vest packed with explosives and armed with a detonator, worn by suicide bombers...
s.
In 2004 Kafisha was wounded during a confrontation with IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers and his arm was amputated
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
. His contact in Lebanon working for Hezbollah, Kais Ubaid, sent him an artificial arm from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Apparently, Kafisha continued to lead the Nablus Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
with this arm. During another attempt to capture Kafisha it is alleged he lost his eye. During the al-Aqsa Intifada
Al-Aqsa Intifada
The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
Kafisha took the leading initiative in preparing terror attacks on Israelis, yet the military checkpoints surrounding Nablus denied most of them exit, and Kafisha's activities were frustrated. Though overshadowed by more publicity-friendly terrorists like Zakaria Zubeidi
Zakaria Zubeidi
Zakaria Muhammad 'Abdelrahman Zubeidi is a former Palestinian militant leader, who recently ended his years on Israel's most-wanted list by handing over his guns to the Palestinian National Authority and accepting Israeli amnesty. He had been the Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and...
, Kafisha was instrumental in transforming Nablus into the "terror capital of the West Bank," and when he was killed the Brigades were already planning a wave of terror attacks against Israeli civil and military targets on the West Bank.
On July 17, 2006, a bomb attack in Nablus organized by Kafisha killed an Israeli soldier and wounded six others.
On August 31, 2006, Kafisha was killed during a random ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
by the Israeli 93rd "Haruv" battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Kfir Brigade. The killing of Kafisha was unexpected, in that he had been in hiding for much of the past decade, and only later did the Israelis discover that they had killed the man described as the most-wanted man in the West Bank. Kafisha's status placed him only behind the leaders of Hamas's
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist fundamentalist socio-political organisation Hamas. Created in 1992, under the direction of Yahya Ayyash, the primary objective of the group was to build a coherent military organisation to support the goals of...
, Mohammed Deif
Mohammed Deif
Mohammed Deif Born in 1960, is a commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. He gained that position after Israel killed Salah Shehade in July, 2002. Israel suspects him of being a bombmaker and holds him personally responsible for the deaths of dozens of civilians...
and Ahmad Jaberi of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
in terms of notoriety in the Israeli intelligence wanted lineup.