IDF Reports Increase In Terror Attacks

International News

Written by Samuel Sokol

Thursday, 25 February 2010 15:19

This past week has seen a marked increase in terror activity in Judea and Samaria, according to the IDF spokesmanâ€™s office.

In a weekly summary prepared by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, it was noted that the last seven days have been â€œparticularly peaceful and quiet in the western Negev areaâ€ with no rockets landing within the Green Line. Two rockets, launched at Israeli targets, were found to have landed short, exploding near the security fence on the Gaza side of the border.

However, despite the renewed quiet for residents of western Negev towns that have suffered from rocket bombardments for the better part of a decade, attempted attacks against both Israeli security personnel and civilians increased in frequency this week, with several bombs placed along the Gaza border. One of these IEDs exploded last Thursday, wounding a soldier. Two days after this incident occurred, several armed men were shot when attempting to approach the fence. IDF sources reported that there were three casualties among the terrorists.

Meanwhile, in Judea and Samaria, multiple cases of assault against Israeli vehicles by means of hurling rocks and throwing Molotov cocktails have been reported.

On February 17, stones were thrown at three Israeli vehicles near Hosen, west of Bethlehem. In another similar incident, an Israeli civilian was slightly injured and his vehicle damaged when PA Arabs hurled rocks at him while traveling near Teqoa. In separate incidents, stone-throwing at Israeli vehicles continued in the area near Hares, southeast of Qalqilya, and a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a vehicle near Beit Ur al-Tahta, west of Ramallah. There were no injuries but damage was caused to the vehicle.

That same day, four pipe bombs were discovered on a Palestinian youth by Border Police forces at the Salem security crossing, northwest of Jenin.

Responding to an Israeli government decision to include the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron on a list of Jewish sites slated for preservation, 100 Palestinians demonstrated violently in the streets, burning tires and throwing stones at IDF soldiers. One soldier was lightly wounded. The soldier received initial medical treatment and was shortly evacuated from the area.

The United Nations has expressed concern over the inclusion of the 3,500-year-old Jewish shrine on the list. This is thought to be in response to a concerted PA campaign to delegitimize Jewish ties to what Arabs have taken to calling Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi, which they claim is a 1,000-year-old mosque.

The Prime Ministerâ€™s Office responded by stating, â€œThis is a mendacious and hypocritical campaign. The State of Israel is committed to freedom of religion for worshippers of all faiths at the holy places and thus it acts in practice.â€

The rioting in Hebron is reminiscent of the weekly violent protests in the Arab village of Bilâ€™in, near Modiâ€™in. Local residents complain that Israelâ€™s security fence, erected in response to repeated suicide bombings originating from the Palestinian Authority, has caused them hardship by separating them from local fields.

In a move intended to capitalize on the popularity of director James Cameronâ€™s science fiction epic Avatar, several Arab protestors in Bilâ€™in have dressed as blue aliens known as Navâ€™i, which were featured in the film.

Some commentators claim that the Navâ€™i, an alien race oppressed by earthmen in Cameronâ€™s movie, are a symbol of the struggle of the Arabs against Israeli aggression.

Cameronâ€™s name was recently placed on a petition calling for a boycott of Israeli artists. However, the filmmaker told the Jerusalem Post that he did not give permission for his name to be used and that he stands against any attempts to boycott artists.

Also this week, Palestinian Authority security forces gave Israel intelligence regarding a Kassam rocket that was set to be launched into central Israel. Much of Gush Dan, which includes Tel Aviv and its surrounding suburbs, and Ben Gurion International Airport are within rocket range of territory in Northern Samaria controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

While Palestinian Authority forces collaborate with Israel, such joint operations are usually against dissident groups such as Hamas, which threaten Fatah party rule.

Israelâ€™s security establishment lauded â€œthe successful cooperation between the IDF, the Civil Administration, and the Palestinian Security Forces.â€ However, several senior Palestinian Authority figures, including President Mahmoud Abbas, have been called to task by the Netanyahu administration recently for actively inciting and glorifying terrorism.

On February 10, Mahmoud Hattib, a senior officer in the Palestinian Security Forces, stabbed IDF First-Sgt. Ihab Khatib to death at the Tapuach Junction near the town of Kfar Tapuach in Samaria.