Friday night, Arabs on the Shalhevet (Abu Sneinah) Hill in Hevron fired directly into houses in the Jewish neighborhood below. No injuries were reported. Prime Minister Sharon withdrew IDF troops from the same hill one week ago against the recommendation of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz, who said that handing over the Shalhevet and Harat a- Shech hills to the PLO would endanger the lives of Hevron’s Jewish civilians and soldiers. Prime Minister Sharon publicly promised then that the IDF would retake Abu Sneinah in the event that one single shot was fired.



IDF Judea and Samaria Commander Brig.-Gen. Gershon Yitzchak told

reporters today in a briefing that the IDF was not planning to retake Shalhevet Hill and other positions in Hevron in response to shooting at the Jewish

community there since the shooting has not continued, and it is believed

that the Palestinians will try to stop the shooting from occurring again.



Also on Friday night, Arabs fired a mortar shell at the Jerusalem’s Gilo neighborhood. No injuries reported, but the shell damaged three cars. On Friday night in the southern Mediterranean coastal region, Arabs fired mortars at IDF positions. No injuries reported there either, or during numerous grenade and shooting attacks in the same area.



Brig.-Gen. Yitzchak said that IDF forces in the Kalkilya area had seized a would-be suicide bomber on his way to carrying out a major attack.