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Israel calls up reservists, conducts major exercise in Golan Heights

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, June 21, 2002

TEL AVIV Ñ Israel's military has mobilized its reserves and conducted a major exercise near the Syrian border to bolster deterrence against attacks from its Arab neighbors, officials said.

. On Thursday, thousands of troops and scores of tanks participated in the largest military exercise in a year along the Golan Heights near the Syrian border.

Officials said the exercise is meant to warn Syria of the consequences of a major Hizbullah attack on Israel's border. Hizbullah, the officials said, has undergone a major resupply effort from Iran. Over the last few weeks, Iran has airlifted fighters, rockets and other weapons in what officials assert is a plan to stage a major attack on Israeli positions.

Israel's military launched an emergency call-up of what could be thousands of reservists on Thursday as tension with the Palestinians and Hizbullah have increased. Military sources said about 1,200 soldiers have already been called, enough to man a brigade.

The mobilization came amid warnings by military commanders that they don't have enough manpower to stop the current Palestinian suicide bombing campaign in Israel. In March, the military called up 20,000 reserves for a widescale offensive in the West Bank.

"The problem is in our head," Israeli Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau said. "Do we consider this war or do we just dance around?" On late Thursday, two Palestinian insurgents entered the Jewish settlement of Itamar and held a family hostage in the West Bank community. Five Israelis Ñ including a mother and her three sons Ñ were killed. The Fatah-led Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade claimed responsibility.

In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian insurgent clashed with Israeli troops at a terminal used by Palestinian laborers to enter the Jewish state. Two laborers were killed in Friday's attack.

Israeli troops and tanks entered several cities in the West Bank. In Jenin, about 1,000 Palestinians were detained and taken to a nearby military camp for questioning.

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