In November 2007, Israel approved the delivery of up to 50 BTR-60 combat
vehicles to the PA, Middle East Newsline reported. The vehicles, which could transport 10 soldiers, were
meant for counter-insurgency missions, particularly in the northern West
Bank.
In briefings to the government, the military said the Russians have
refused to remove the machine guns or turret mounts or from the BTR
platforms. They said this would enable the PA to operate 14.5 mm and 7.62 mm
guns.
As a result, the military won government approval to block the first
shipment of 25 IFVs from Russia. Officials said the vehicles were to have
been delivered during the first week of December.
The PA has confirmed the delay in the IFVs. A PA security official said
the IFVs were meant to contain machine guns.
Israel has agreed to an accelerated U.S.-sponsored program to train and
equip the PA security forces. The Olmert government was said to have enabled
750 members of the National Security Forces to attend a four-month training
course in Jordan.
The military's objection to the IFVs came amid a determination that the
PA police and NSF have been used to attack Israeli civilians in the West
Bank. Three NSF officers were said to have participated in the ambush of an
Israeli civilian car in which one person was killed in late November.
The Palestinian attackers were said to have used AK-47 rifles recently
delivered to the PA for law enforcement operations. Two of the officers have
been captured by Israel in the Nablus area and were said to have confessed
to the killing of the Israeli.
"The attack was meant to scare the [Jewish] settlers," an official,
quoting one of the Palestinians, said.
Meanwhile, in Gaza City, the Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad has reported the
development of a missile with a range of 22 kilometers.
Jihad said it has been producing extended-range missiles for attacks on
Israeli cities. The group's Al Quds Brigades said the missiles could reach
Ashkelon, the largest city in southeastern Israel.
"We now possess dozens of other projectiles, with a 22-kilometer range,
that can reach central and northern Ashkelon," Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmed
said. "Other Palestinian military factions have also developed new
indigenous projectiles."
In mid-2007, Jihad announced the development of missiles with a range of
16 kilometers. Israeli military sources confirmed that Jihad missiles
achieved this range.
The latest missile was said to have reflected Hizbullah assistance.
Jihad said the unnamed 22-kilometer missile was similar to Hizbullah's 122
mm Katyusha rocket, widely used in the 2006 war with Israel.
Abu Ahmed said the latest missile was based on the 122 mm Grad, acquired
in 2006. He said Jihad technicians were able to reverse-engineer the
Katyusha to design and produce the new missile.
"We had a limited number of Katyushas, and our manufacturing experts
examined them and developed similar projectiles, which could be even more
effective," Abu Ahmed said.
Abu Ahmed said Jihad has also trained 70 volunteers to serve as suicide
bombers. He said the operatives would blow themselves up in front of Israeli
troops and main battle tanks in the Gaza Strip.
