An Israeli mathematics lecturer at Bar-Ilan University has been indicted for planning a series of mass-casualty terrorist attacks targeting Palestinian citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, according to a report by Haaretz.
The professor, who is in his 60s and whose identity remains under a gag order, developed a plan he called “Am Ya’aseh Transfer” (“the nation will carry out a transfer”), with the stated objective of forcing Palestinian populations to flee or be expelled to Jordan, Lebanon and Gaza.
Prosecutors said that he spent more than three years developing the plan, conducting reconnaissance, preparing detailed documents and attempting to recruit participants.
The State Prosecutor’s Office said the suspect sought assistance from “subversive elements” in the Israeli Air Force, artillery and armored corps, The Times of Israel reported.
Divided cells for coordinated attacks
The indictment describes a highly organised scheme involving 72 Jewish operatives divided into 12 cells, with plans for coordinated attacks in mixed Jewish-Palestinian cities and Palestinian communities in Israel.
The plan included attacks on civilians and instructions to show no mercy, including towards women and children.
It estimated that 600 to 700 people would be killed and stipulated that at least half of the attackers, including the professor, should hold gun licenses.
It also envisioned support from elements within the Israeli military and sought to exploit social media coverage of the attacks to create panic and encourage Palestinian citizens of Israel to flee the country.
The professor attempted to recruit former security officials, journalists, academics and right-wing political figures, including former Knesset member Moshe Feiglin, whose Zehut faction has teamed up with extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party ahead of the October 27 parliamentary election.
Around June, he asked his daughter to recruit acquaintances among the so-called “hilltop youth,” a term referring to extremist illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, but she refused.
The Central District Attorney’s Office filed the indictment at Lod District Court and asked that he remain in custody until the end of the proceedings.
Bar-Ilan University has suspended the lecturer and said it was “appalled” by the allegations, stressing that it has zero tolerance for such conduct.
Palestinian Israelis make up about 21 percent of Israel’s population of more than 10 million.
