The decisions made yesterday at the first meeting of the new security cabinet have begun to be implemented, and the IDF has begun to remove the restrictions and encirclements from around most Palestinian Authority villages and cities. Arab traffic is allowed with almost no restrictions within Judea and Samaria, but not across the Green Line into pre-1967 Israel, and goods and many raw materials are allowed free passage.
The restrictions around the city of Ramallah, however, were not removed this morning. IDF Judea and Samaria Commander Brig.-Gen. Benny Ganz announced that this was in light of continued intelligence warnings about impending terrorist attacks from the city. Shortly after the announcement, the IDF did an about-face, and began allowing free traffic in and out of most Ramallah entrances.
Very shortly after that, the first post-closure terrorist attack occurred: Three Palestinian terrorists shot a hail of bullets towards two Israeli cars traveling near Ma\'aleh Levonah. No one was hurt, but both vehicles were damaged. Further south, a grenade was thrown towards an IDF patrol along the Israeli-Egyptian border near Rafiah. No one was hurt, and IDF soldiers returned fire. Later this afternoon, an Israeli was wounded by shrapnel when his car was shot at by Palestinians near Shavei Shomron.
The restrictions around the city of Ramallah, however, were not removed this morning. IDF Judea and Samaria Commander Brig.-Gen. Benny Ganz announced that this was in light of continued intelligence warnings about impending terrorist attacks from the city. Shortly after the announcement, the IDF did an about-face, and began allowing free traffic in and out of most Ramallah entrances.
Very shortly after that, the first post-closure terrorist attack occurred: Three Palestinian terrorists shot a hail of bullets towards two Israeli cars traveling near Ma\'aleh Levonah. No one was hurt, but both vehicles were damaged. Further south, a grenade was thrown towards an IDF patrol along the Israeli-Egyptian border near Rafiah. No one was hurt, and IDF soldiers returned fire. Later this afternoon, an Israeli was wounded by shrapnel when his car was shot at by Palestinians near Shavei Shomron.