Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military has launched training to stop bus
hijackings.

Officials said the Army was instructing infantry troops to rapidly
respond to hijackings of buses and trucks. They said the training was
formulated in wake of Palestinian attacks on motorists near the southern
Israeli city of Eilat in August.

“We know that Hamas, Hizbullah and other terrorists were planning to
hijack buses and hold them as hostage,” an official said.

Officials said Hamas and the Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad were
believed to be planning to target tourist buses in isolated areas in
southern Israel. During the Aug. 18 attack, a squad composed of Hamas and Al
Qaida operatives opened fire on two buses and eight Israelis were killed.

The Army has focused training on special forces units. They were
identified as the Lotar counter-insurgency and the Givati Brigade. Officials
said the week-long course took place at the army’s CI school.

  Al Qaida, Eilat, Givat Brigade, Islamic Jihad, Israel Army special forces, Israel trains special forces for rapid response to vehicle hijackings, Lotar