Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA Terrorist Zakariya Zbeidi enjoyed worldwide renown
for his "Freedom Theater"
Here is an example of a video praising him:
https://youtu.be/YFWrVAF-sxk

ISA Solves Shooting Attacks Carried Out by Zakariya Zbeidi and Tarek Barghut

(Communicated by the ISA)

The following has been cleared for publication:

The ISA, in cooperation with the IDF and Israel Police, over the past few
months, has solved a series of shooting attacks that were carried out in the
Ramallah district.

Intelligence gathered by the ISA indicates the involvement of Zakariya
Zbeidi and Tarek Barghut in the area of Beit El.

The two were arrested on 27 February 2019 in a combined ISA, IDF and Israel
Police operation after a night during which they were to have carried out an
additional attack, but which was foiled by the security forces.

Those involved:

* Zakariya Zbeidi, born in 1976, resident of the Jenin refugee camp, holds a
senior position in the Palestinian Authority Prisoners Ministry.

Zbeidi was one of the senior terrorists in Judea and Samaria, and was among
those released under the 2007 "fugitives agreement." This agreement was
based on an explicit commitment by the released terrorists not to engage in
violent and illegal activity and to abandon the terrorist cells to which
they belonged.

Zbeidi brazenly and violently violated this commitment and was involved in
carrying out several shooting attacks. He will be dealt with to the fullest
extent of the law, including for previous activity, and will be tried for
all of the various terrorist attacks in which he has been involved.

* Tarek Barghut, born in 1975, resident of Ramallah, possesses an Israeli ID
card, is an Israeli attorney and a member of the Bar Association. He
represented security prisoners before courts in Israel and in Judea and
Samaria, until his arrest.

Barghut was employed as an attorney by the Palestinian Authority Prisoners
Ministry.

The ISA investigation has revealed that the two carried out two shooting
attacks, on 7 November 2018 and 5 January 2019, at busses that traveled near
Beit El.

The method:

The ISA investigation has revealed that the two used Zakariya Zbeidi's
vehicle – which he received from the Palestinian Authority for his Prisoners
Ministry work – during the attacks.

In preparation for the attacks, the two went over the chosen target areas,
carried out observation of potential targets and gathered other information.

The two also carried out another shooting attack on 27 December 2018, during
which they fired at a bus en route to Psagot, but did not hit it due to the
weather. They also planned to carry out another attack on a Psagot-bound bus
in February 2019.

Tarek Barghut also confessed to having shot at – and damaged – a police
vehicle at Zeitim Crossing near Jerusalem on 19 November 2016.

During the investigation, an M-16 and magazines, which were used in the
attacks, were handed over to the security forces (see attached photo;
credit – ISA).

A senior ISA official remarked: "That a senior Palestinian Authority
Prisoners Ministry official and an Israeli attorney who worked for the
Prisoners Ministry carried out severe terrorist attacks while using an
official PA vehicle is very grave. Intelligence and operational activity by
the security forces immediately after the attacks and in the ensuing weeks,
including in Ramallah, is what led to the exposure of the cell and the
foiling of other terrorist attacks in the future."

Severe indictments against the two have been filed by the military
prosecutor.