Israeli National Security Council Issues Warning on Eve of Passover Holiday

Israel’s National Security Council warned of potential attacks against Jewish and Israeli citizens on the eve of Passover holidays.

Passover (in Hebrew: Pesach) is one of the most important religious holidays for Jews, commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, with Jews celebrating this holiday for eight days. Beginning on April 12 (23rd of Farvardin), this holiday is a time when many Jewish and Israeli citizens travel abroad.

Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) yesterday, while referring to Hamas-affiliated operatives who were arrested in December 2023 in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands on charges of planning attacks against Jews in Europe, warned that given the deteriorating situation of Hamas in Gaza and the renewed fighting, Hamas likely is preparing for terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens outside the country’s borders.

In addition to the aforementioned detained operatives, Bulgarian police reported in April of last year (2024) the discovery of a weapons cache related to four other suspects. Israel’s National Security Council, while reiterating that Israeli and Jewish citizens are targets of potential attacks by terrorist groups Hamas, the Islamic Republic, and Islamic Jihad (ISIS), urged travelers to review official security recommendations before beginning their journeys and to take necessary precautions.

The National Security Council also stated that the Islamic Republic, through its proxy groups, plays a fundamental role in planning and supporting these attacks, directly or indirectly. The neutralization of several operations in Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands are evidence of the Islamic Republic’s role in terrorist attacks.

The NSC also added in yesterday’s warning: “The risk of lone-wolf attacks has increased amid rising activity by Islamic Jihad groups such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, and al-Shabaab, particularly in Europe. An attack in Australia through arson and bombing attempts, a wave of attacks with Molotov cocktails and shootings at Jewish institutions in Canada, a vehicle ramming that killed 14 people and injured dozens, violence against fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv football team in November in Amsterdam, all demonstrate increasing attacks against Jews and Israelis.”

The National Security Council, in its warning, repeatedly emphasized the importance of travelers adhering to security recommendations and taking precautions before their journeys.