Materials used to produce a bomb that was to be used in a terror attack in Jerusalem. Photo: Israel General Security Services.

A terrorist plot to detonate a bomb at the Mamila Mall near the Old City in Jerusalem was foiled by Israel’s security forces, a police spokesperson announced Sunday morning. The attack was planned for one of the upcoming Jewish holidays.”¬

һIn a joint operation conducted by Israeli Police and other security forces, two Israeli Arabs from the Shuafat camp and the Ras-El-Amud neighborhood in Jerusalem were arrested for planning to transfer a bomb from the Judea and Samaria area into Jerusalem. The two men, aged 22 and 25, both cleaning workers at the mall, admitted to the charges. An indictment is expected shortly.

The suspects will be charged with aiding the enemy, conspiring to commit a crime, and attempting to produce weapons. Authorities said the two men would have taken advantage of their Israeli identity cards, and other privileges as Israeli citizens, to execute the attack. “¬

һThey were recruited by Hamdi Hasnin Hamdi Romana, a Hamas terrorist from Ramallah, several months ago.

“ªThe cell had further plans to attack IDF soldiers, and to produce rockets and fire them from the Ramallah area into neighboring Israeli communities.”¬

“ªThe police spokesperson said that the exposure of the cell indicates a high motivation by Hamas to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel, and pointed to the threat posed by Arabs with Israeli identity cards, who can exploit their status to carry out attacks.”¬

“ªIn March 2011, a bomb exploded at Benyanei Hauma in Jerusalem, and in November 2012, a bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv. In both incidents, the bombs were produced by Hamas and planted by Israeli Arabs. “¬