A shepherd from Givat Tzon Aviezer in Samaria discovered a memorial dedicated to Hamas terrorist Mohammed Haj Ali while grazing his flock on a ridge overlooking the Qana Stream this week.
An examination of the site revealed that Haj Ali was a member of the Hamas cell responsible for the 2001 Emmanuel bus attack, in which 11 Jews were murdered and approximately 30 others were wounded. The memorial was erected years ago by residents of the Arab village of Jamma’in on a ridge locally known by Arabs as the “Land of the Shahids.”
This week, a shepherd from Givat Tzon Aviezer took his flock to grazing lands on the ridge overlooking the Qana stream. While tending his flock, he noticed a structure at the site. Further examination revealed that it was a memorial dedicated to Mohammed Haj Ali, a Hamas terrorist involved in the deadly 2001 attack in Emmanuel.
Haj Ali was a member of a Hamas cell established in the village of Tell in Samaria, which operated in the area for several years under the command of Nasser Assida. The cell was considered close to senior Hamas terrorist Yahya Ayyash. In its first attack, carried out on the slopes near the Jewish community of Yitzhar, the cell murdered security patrolmen Shlomo Liebman and Harel Ben-Nun. The cell’s members subsequently established a base in the Nahal stream area, between Yitzhar and Emmanuel, from which they launched additional terrorist attacks over the years.
In 2001, the cell carried out the Emmanuel bus attack, murdering 11 Jews and wounding approximately 30 others. Following the attack, IDF forces managed to locate several members of the cell who were hiding at the ancient site of Khirbet Jar’a. One member of the cell was killed during an exchange of fire, while additional members were eliminated in the following years.
Following the elimination of Mohammed Haj Ali, residents of the village of Jamma’in erected a memorial in his honor on the ridge, which was locally known by Arabs as the “Land of the Shahids.” The memorial remained at the site for years, although its precise location was unknown to the residents of the Jewish community of Givat Tzon Aviezer. Approximately one year ago, Givat Tzon Aviezer was established on the ridge, and the area where the memorial stands has recently become part of the community’s grazing lands.
The discovery of the memorial during routine grazing activities reveals another remaining trace of the Hamas cell’s operations in the area more than two decades ago, as well as the manner in which its members were commemorated at the site after their deaths.
Questions and Answers
What did the shepherd from Givat Tzon Aviezer discover?
While grazing his flock, a shepherd from the community discovered a memorial dedicated to Mohammed Haj Ali, a Hamas terrorist who belonged to the cell responsible for the 2001 Emmanuel bus attack.
Who was Mohammed Haj Ali?
Haj Ali was a member of a Hamas cell that operated in Samaria under the command of Nasser Assida. The cell was involved in a series of terrorist attacks, including the Emmanuel bus attack, in which 11 Jews were murdered and approximately 30 others were wounded.
Who erected the memorial, and why is it located in the Qana stream area?
Following Haj Ali’s elimination, residents of the village of Jamma’in erected a memorial in his honor on a ridge in the Qana stream area, locally known by Arabs as the “Land of the Shahids.” The memorial remained at the site for years until it was discovered this week by a shepherd from Givat Tzon Aviezer while grazing his flock.