JERUSALEM Ñ A report by Israel's National Security Council warned the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to expect "mega-terror" attacks.
Officials said the attacks are meant to target infrastructure, oil and
natural gas facilities and meant to cause hundreds of casualties. They said
Palestinian insurgency groups, helped by the Palestinian Authority, are
designating targets throughout Israel deemed as prone to cause mass
casualties and destruction.
On Wednesday, Sharon discussed the issue
with senior ministers and the chiefs of the military and intelligence
agencies. The meeting included a review of threat assessments and scenarios, Middle East Newsline reported.
Officials said that during the meeting the National Security Council
presented a report ordered by Sharon that asserted that Israel is vulnerable
to mega-attacks. The report said strategic Israeli facilities remain exposed
to danger from Palestinian and Islamic attackers.
Some of the scenarios include a suicide airplane crash as in the Al
Qaida attacks on New York and Washington last Sept. 11. Other scenarios
include a chemical weapons attacks and a strike of fuel depots.
The report urged that the Defense Ministry be granted responsibility for
internal security. Officials said the report did not disclose any specific
plans to launch mega-attacks against Israel.
Hours later, a bomb believed placed by Palestinian insurgents exploded
underneath a fuel tanker near a gasoline station south of Tel Aviv. The bomb
was described as small and little damage was reported.
Officials said the first consultations regarding the prospect of a
mega-attack took place last year. They said several training exercises and
simulations were held to respond to an attack on Israeli energy
infrastructure.
In response, Israeli military authorities plan to sign a regulation on
Thursday that would ban fuel deliveries to Palestinian communities in the
West Bank. Deliveries to Palestinian communities would be carried out
separately and include the transfer of fuel to Palestinian tankers under
military supervision.
In the northern West Bank, Israeli forces killed four Fatah insurgents
in Tulkarm. The casualties included Fatah regional commander Ziad Dales.
In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers captured a Fatah commander suspected of
planning several bombings. In Khan Yunis, Israeli troops shot dead a senior
Hamas activist, Hussein Ahmed Nimr, near his home.
