Israel: Intelligence services stopping 75 percent of Palestinian attacks
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
GAZA Ñ Successful commando operations have stopped three out of every four Palestinian attacks according to an internal Israeli government report.
Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was quoted as telling the
Cabinet on Sunday that the nation's intelligence services have foiled 75
percent of Palestinian attacks. Ben-Eliezer said many of the successes are
not reported to the Israeli public, Middle East Newsline reported.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed. "We have undertaken special
operations," Sharon said on late Sunday. "I would say we are carrying out
commando operations against terrorism."
On Monday, Israeli authorities stopped a truck laden with weapons that
drove from Ramallah to the Gaza Strip. The weapons were stored under
construction material.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has resumed mortar fire against
Israeli targets in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian gunners fired mortars at Jewish settlements in the Gaza
Strip. An Israeli civilian was wounded.
Israeli attack helicopters responded with missile fire toward
Palestinian positions near Khan Yunis. PA sources said three PA police
officers were injured.
On late Sunday, three Palestinians were killed in the Gaza city of
Rafah. Palestinian sources said the three were killed by an Israeli missile.
Israeli military sources said the Palestinians were killed when one of
them was preparing a bomb. The sources said one
of the three was a leading activist in the Palestinian war against Israel.
Earlier, three Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli troops,
two of them in the strip. An Israeli military officer was injured in
fighting in Hebron.
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