JERUSALEM Ñ Israel's military has entered a northern West Bank city
in a search operation for Palestinian insurgents and weaponry.
Israeli infantry, tanks and armored vehicles entered Jenin on early
Friday in what was termed the largest operation in the area in months. The
Israeli force was said to have embarked on an effort to capture at least 20
Palestinian insurgents and weapons amid plans to carry out suicide missions
in the Jewish state.
A senior Israeli military commander said the Jenin incursion was the
result of a Palestinian suicide attack on an Israeli bus in which 14
passengers were killed on Monday. The commander said the bombing revived
Palestinian efforts in Jenin to resume suicide missions from the northern
West Bank.
"Our intelligence indicates that the bombing encouraged the terrorist
cell in Jenin which is now rearming and winning new recruits," the commander
said. "Recently we eased off Jenin and got the bombing in return. Given the
new developments we have to go in massively despite the attendant
discomforts to the locals."
The commander said the military plans to deploy throughout the Jenin
area and renew a curfew on the city. At the same time, troops will search
for an insurgency cell believed to comprise about 20 members. The Jenin area
has 250,000 residents.
The current military incursion, which has so far met light resistance,
has been dubbed "Operation Vanguard" and involves scores of armored
vehicles, military sources said. They termed this the largest Israeli
operation in the West Bank since the entry into Nablus in August. The
previous operation was launched after seven people were killed in a
Palestinian bombing of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Palestinian sources said Israel's military is expected to withdraw from
the Palestinian Authority-controlled area of Hebron. The sources said the
withdrawal will take place from 80 percent of the city and PA officers will
assume security responsibility in the area.
