Palestinians in east Jerusalem and the West Bank observed a one-day general strike on Thursday to mourn the death of Udai Tamimi, the perpetrator of the terrorist attacks at the Shuafat Refugee Camp and Ma’ale Adumim.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians observed a minute’s silence as part of a day of mourning over the death of Tamimi, a resident of the Dahiet al-Salam neighborhood near the Shuafat refugee camp.
Tamimi was shot dead on Wednesday night after he opened fire at security guards stationed at the entrance to Ma’aleh Adumim.
Earlier this month, Tamimi shot and killed IDF female soldier Noa Lazar and injured a security guard at the security checkpoint at the entrance to the camp, which is located between the Jerusalem neighborhoods of French Hill and Pisgat Ze’ev.
The camp and its surroundings (with the exception of the town of Anata) are located within the boundaries of the Jerusalem Municipality and their residents, including the Tamimi family, hold Israeli-issued ID cards in their capacity as permanent residents of the city.
As soon as word spread about the death of Tamimi, hundreds of camp residents marched toward his family’s home, chanting slogans hailing him as a “hero” and “martyr.” Activists in the camp used mosque megaphones to announce the death of Tamimi and call for a general strike.
Fatah and Hamas mourn Tamimi
The ruling Fatah faction headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement calling for a general strike to mourn the “martyr and hero.” The faction also called for a day of rage to protest Israelis security measures in the West Bank.
Hamas also mourned Tamimi and described him as one of its “mujahideen” (warriors). The Gaza-based terror group welcomed the “heroic operations” carried out by the slain gunman at the Shuafat checkpoint and Ma’aleh Adumim.
Also Wednesday night, Palestinians took to the streets in several cities, villages and refugee camps in the West Bank to mourn the death of Tamimi. The rallies took place at the request of the Lions’ Den armed group, which is based in Nablus and whose members are responsible for a series of shooting attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians.
On Thursday morning, the group claimed that its members carried out three shooting attacks against IDF soldiers in the Nablus in response to the killing of Tamimi.
Palestinian activists published on social media platforms what they claimed was a will Tamimi left behind with his handwriting.
In the alleged will, he wrote that the attack at the Shuafat refugee camp was “a drop in the ocean of struggle” against Israel. “I know that I will be martyred sooner or later,” the purported will read. “And I know that I didn’t liberate Palestine with this operation. But I carried it out with one goal in mind, that it would prompt hundreds of youths to carry the rifle after me.”