Israel Police and the Shin Bet have foiled a terrorist cell consisting of east Jerusalem residents operating under instructions from a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist living in France, the police announced on Tuesday.
Five PFLP-linked east Jerusalem residents were arrested in November and December of 2025 for questioning after they were suspected of having been recruited by Salah Hamouri, a senior PFLP terrorist.
Hamouri, a lawyer, has a history of active involvement in terrorist activity, including the 2005 attempted assassination of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, according to Israel Police.
Hamouri’s Israeli residency was revoked in 2022 due to his involvement in terror plots, and he was transferred to France, where he has citizenship.
Hamouri recruited terror operatives while in France
Since arriving in France, Israel Police stated, Hamouri had been in contact with terrorist elements to direct and plan terrorist activities, exploiting his connections to Israel to recruit local operatives.
While investigating Hamouri’s activities, Shin Bet uncovered that throughout 2024 and 2025, Hamouri met with the east Jerusalem residents in various locations in Europe and recruited them to join the terror cell. He then provided the recruits with phones for encrypted communication about their terror plots.
The investigation also uncovered that the recruited terrorists had taken various actions to promote terrorist activity in the Jerusalem area.
Indictments were filed against two of the east Jerusalem residents recruited by Hamouri. They were charged with terrorism related offenses, including active membership in a terrorist organization, dealing in property for terrorist purposes, and attempted conspiracy to commit a crime that is an act of terrorism.
