Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

proliferation of conventional and non-conventional weapons from Syria to terrorist
organizations. Israeli politicians and security officials pointed to Hizballah's efforts to rebuild
and re-arm following the 2006 Lebanon War as evidence that the group remained a threat to
Israel. According to the Government of Israel, Hizballah has stockpiled 50,000 missiles in
Lebanon, some of which are capable of striking anywhere in Israel, including population
centers.
A series of terrorist attacks and foiled plots against Israeli interests abroad that began in 2011
continued in 2012. Though most of these plots were disrupted, a July 18 suicide attack against
Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria, killed five Israeli citizens and one Bulgarian and injured
dozens, and a February 13 attack in New Delhi injured the wife of an Israeli Ministry of Defense
employee. Terrorist plots were also uncovered against Israeli targets in Thailand, Azerbaijan, and
Cyprus, and an attack was foiled in Georgia. Israeli officials publicly linked many of these plots
and attacks to Hizballah and its Iranian sponsors. [On February 5, 2013, the Bulgarian
government publically implicated Hizballah in the July 2012 Burgas bombing that killed five
Israelis and one Bulgarian citizen, and injured 32 others. On March 21, 2013, a Cyprus court
found a Hizballah operative guilty of charges stemming from his surveillance activities, carried
out in 2012, of Israeli tourist targets, while Thailand was prosecuting a Hizballah member for his
role in helping plan a possible terrorist attack in that country.]
2012 Terrorist Incidents: Incidents included rocket and mortar fire from Gaza, a bus bombing,
attacks along the Gaza security fence, and cross-border attacks from Egypt’s Sinai
Peninsula. Rocket and mortar fire emanating from Gaza was the most prevalent form of attack by
Palestinian terrorist organizations. Israel experienced major escalations in rocket attacks in
March, June, October, and November. According to figures released by the Israel Security
Agency (ISA), as of the end of November, a total of 2,331 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel
in the course of 2012, up from the previous peak of approximately 2,000 in 2008. In addition,
224 mortar shells were launched toward Israel. Following attacks from Gaza, Israeli forces
targeted sites used by terrorists to launch indirect-fire attacks against Israeli civilians and security
forces. In addition, Israel faced terrorist threats abroad, including attacks that were carried out in
Bulgaria and India, and at least five plots or attempted attacks in other countries. Please see the
country reports for Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, India, Kenya, and Thailand in this
chapter for information on attacks against Israeli citizens.
Between November 14 and 21, some 1,814 rockets and mortars were launched from Gaza toward
Israel. The bulk of incoming fire targeted communities in the South, but some longer-range
rockets were fired from Gaza at Tel Aviv and the Jerusalem area for the first time. Although
most of these landed in open areas or were intercepted, one rocket struck a residential building in
the Tel Aviv suburb Rishon Lezion, causing extensive damage. The Iron Dome missile defense
system intercepted 421 rockets during the operation, successfully engaging approximately 85
percent of rockets targeted for interception.
Despite Iron Dome and other civil defense efforts, incoming rocket and mortar fire resulted in
the deaths of six Israelis and significant property damage. On November 15, three people were
killed in a direct rocket hit on an apartment building in Kiryat Malachi. On November 20, an
Israeli soldier and an Israeli civilian were killed by mortar fire in the Eshkol Regional
Council. On November 22, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reserve officer died of wounds
suffered in a November 21 rocket attack from Gaza.
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