They called it the “red page,” red like the paper that authorizes the Mossad to assassinate an enemy. Those were the years after the Munich massacre in 1972 and the hunt for Black September. Today, with ongoing conflict, things are likely to happen even faster. According to local media, Jerusalem has created a unit of the Shin Bet, the internal service, to target leaders, militiamen and supporters of the Nukhba Brigade, the elite Hamas unit blamed for the kibbutzim massacres. His code name is Nili, an acronym for the Hebrew phrase from the Bible, “The glory of Israel will not lie,” just like a Jewish spy network during World War I. It is a “search and destroy” team that focuses on a list of selected targets not pursued by defense. Due to some indiscretions, the Mossad could also be part of the operation when the target is abroad or in situations where its intervention is useful. Furthermore, given the theater and past events, the support and action of the special forces commandos is predictable, from Naval Flotilla 13 to the Sayeret Matkal.
Immediately after the October 7 surprise, the Jewish state ordered the extermination of the movement’s leaders, affirming that no one was immune, whether a politician or a cadre involved in the guerrilla war. Almost daily, speakers announced the deaths of officials and representatives of the faction and often emphasized the role of the “liquidated” in the attack. These four members of the Executive Council – including Jamala al Rantisi – include Bilal al Kedra, accused of directing the murderers in two communities, and Alì Qadi, commander of a front. The deployment of an ad hoc team is an iteration of the war room – known as JWR – which was created in 1999 by bringing together various components tasked with best managing air and ground strikes against proponents of Palestinian terrorism. Using the “base” on the second floor of Shin Bet headquarters, intelligence and army officials coordinated the incursions, ambushes and activities of elements trained to operate covertly in Arab villages. And the first blow – says expert Ronen Bergman – would have come with the murder of Iyad Batat, a Hamas member, in the West Bank. It was December 11, 1999. The date reminds us of how long the challenge lasts.