Gaza Herald – An indictment revealed by Yedioth Ahronoth details a plot by a Bar-Ilan University mathematics professor to carry out synchronized attacks on Palestinian villages and towns within the 48 territories. The plan, codenamed “Ayaat,” aimed to kill hundreds of Palestinians and force their displacement toward Jordan, Lebanon, and Gaza.
The suspect, a man in his sixties from Petah Tikva, recruited 71 Jewish operatives divided into 12 cells. According to the indictment, these groups were equipped with rifles, pistols, axes, and hammers to seize control of town entrances, exits, roads, hospitals, and conflict zones.
The strategy included instructions for mass killings targeting women and children, alongside documenting attacks on social media to instill terror. The professor also sought to recruit dissident elements within the Israeli military to provide air and artillery cover using fighter jets and armored vehicles against Arab settlements.
Primary targets identified in the plan included mixed cities, Palestinian and Bedouin towns, and areas in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The suspect conducted reconnaissance missions, including studying access routes to Tuba Zangariyye, while using aliases like “Menachem” and disguises to conceal his identity during recruitment efforts over a year and a half.
The plot involved attempts to recruit Moshe Feiglin, head of the Zot party. After failing to secure cooperation, the professor threatened Feiglin with political damage, delivering letters via a neighbor and party officials at a campaign event in Machane Yehuda market. Zot party officials filed a formal police complaint regarding the extortion attempts.
Shin Bet intelligence led to the professor’s arrest on September 17. Prosecutors requested continued detention pending judicial proceedings. During a hearing at the Lod Central Court, defense attorneys argued he posed no threat and requested house arrest due to university grading duties.
The defense also sought to extend a publication ban on the suspect’s name until October 7, claiming international harm to Israel and risks to family members in Australia. The court granted the extension.
Bar-Ilan University condemned the alleged actions, stating they contradicted institutional values. The university suspended the professor from work until the conclusion of legal procedures. The case highlights a comprehensive plan involving target selection, field surveys, and recruitment attempts beyond mere incitement.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
