Senior Jihadist whose arrest sparked Operation Breaking Dawn indicted

Al-Saadi was arrested in Jenin a month ago, leading to the security tensions that erupted into Operation Breaking Dawn.

 Sheikh Bassam Al-Saadi, leader of the Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank, brought to a court hearing at Ofer Military Prison, outside of Jerusalem, on August 25, 2022 (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Sheikh Bassam Al-Saadi, leader of the Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank, brought to a court hearing at Ofer Military Prison, outside of Jerusalem, on August 25, 2022
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

IDF military prosecutors filed an indictment against senior Islamic Jihad operative Bassam al-Saadi on Thursday for alleged incitement and membership of a terrorist group.

According to the indictment, al-Saadi, who was known to be a senior member of the group, worked to further establish the organization’s activities, including receiving funds from the Gaza Strip.

He also called for the continued violent struggle against Israel and tried to avoid arrest by posing under a false identity to Israeli security forces who had come to apprehend him last month in the West Bank.

The arrest of Basem al-Saadi

Saadi, 61, was arrested at his home in Jenin refugee camp by Border Police and IDF together with one of his closest aides, who was previously imprisoned in Israel for terrorist offenses.

The arrest raid involved an exchange of fire between the forces and Palestinian gunmen who fired from close to the building where al-Saadi was holed up. Several explosive devices were also launched toward security forces. Many weapons were and large sums of cash were also seized.

During the operation, many weapons were also seized, including a gun, cartridges and M-16 bullets, as well as large amounts of cash.

A-Saadi resisted arrest, and was slightly injured by a dog that participated in the activity. There were no casualties among the forces, one Palestinian gunman was killed in the exchange of fire.

He was in Israeli prison no less than 7 times following extensive terrorist activity over the years, and served as the head of the Islamic Jihad in Samaria.

His arrest led to the security tensions for which movement restrictions were imposed in the area surrounding Gaza, a few days before Israel launched Operation Breaking Dawn.

With the filing of the indictment, the prosecution requested that A-Saadi be detained until the end of the legal proceedings in his case.


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At the defense attorney's request to study the evidence, his detention was extended at this stage until August 28, at which time a hearing will be held on the prosecution's request to extend his detention until the end of the legal proceedings.