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.
