Following the attacks in Emanuel and Gush Katif last night, the government decided to call off all contacts with Yasser Arafat and to take strong military action against Palestinian targets. The Cabinet declared that Arafat is no longer \"relevant,\" and considers him directly responsible for the terrorism. It was further decided that the army would prepare quickly for arrests and the confiscation of weapons in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. The government sees the PA and its leader as \"directly responsible for the Palestinian population\'s sad situation, and will continue to do what it can to help this population.\"
In the ensuing air and ground attacks during the night, the following targets were hit: The Palestinian Department of Science in Shechem (which served as a cover for an explosives manufacturing plant), the PLO airport\'s radar and control tower, the only helicopter pad in Shechem, Force 17 buildings in Gaza, the PA\'s naval police headquarters, and more. The army also took control of a few neighborhoods in Ramallah, and positioned tanks aimed at Arafat\'s office windows only 200 meters away. Around noon, IDF forces destroyed the main antenna of Voice of Palestine Radio - one of the PA\'s central symbols - and bulldozed others of the installation\'s buildings. \"If the PA doesn\'t stop its incitement,\" an army source said, \"we\'ll stop it for them.\" Irregular radio and television broadcasts continue from other stations, however.
Later in the afternoon, the army took over the home of Tanzim head Marwan Bargouti and turned its top floors into an army post. He has not lived there for a while, for fear that Israeli forces would kill him, but his family does; the army said that his wife and children are free to live in the lower floors. Bargouti and his Tanzim are responsible for a good share of the terrorism on Israel over the past 14 months.
The IDF also divided up the Gaza Strip into three areas. The Netzarim junction was blocked, stopping traffic (except along a narrow coastal strip) to and from Gaza City which lies to the north; the Gush Katif junction was similarly blockaded, stopping traffic to and from Khan Yunis to the south; while in the middle lie Dir el Balah and other villages. The army carried out a similar action in April of this year after mortar attacks on the city of Sderot. Areas in Rafiach were also surrounded and cut off today.
Despite all, the Palestinian attacks continued this morning: A mortar shell hit a Gush Katif community, causing damage but no injuries. Near Rafiach, Arabs threw two grenades at IDF vehicles, and bombed and fired upon an IDF outpost near Gadid. Outside of Gaza, an IDF force noticed a pipebomb near the Shomron community of Sa-Nur, and safely detonated it.
In the ensuing air and ground attacks during the night, the following targets were hit: The Palestinian Department of Science in Shechem (which served as a cover for an explosives manufacturing plant), the PLO airport\'s radar and control tower, the only helicopter pad in Shechem, Force 17 buildings in Gaza, the PA\'s naval police headquarters, and more. The army also took control of a few neighborhoods in Ramallah, and positioned tanks aimed at Arafat\'s office windows only 200 meters away. Around noon, IDF forces destroyed the main antenna of Voice of Palestine Radio - one of the PA\'s central symbols - and bulldozed others of the installation\'s buildings. \"If the PA doesn\'t stop its incitement,\" an army source said, \"we\'ll stop it for them.\" Irregular radio and television broadcasts continue from other stations, however.
Later in the afternoon, the army took over the home of Tanzim head Marwan Bargouti and turned its top floors into an army post. He has not lived there for a while, for fear that Israeli forces would kill him, but his family does; the army said that his wife and children are free to live in the lower floors. Bargouti and his Tanzim are responsible for a good share of the terrorism on Israel over the past 14 months.
The IDF also divided up the Gaza Strip into three areas. The Netzarim junction was blocked, stopping traffic (except along a narrow coastal strip) to and from Gaza City which lies to the north; the Gush Katif junction was similarly blockaded, stopping traffic to and from Khan Yunis to the south; while in the middle lie Dir el Balah and other villages. The army carried out a similar action in April of this year after mortar attacks on the city of Sderot. Areas in Rafiach were also surrounded and cut off today.
Despite all, the Palestinian attacks continued this morning: A mortar shell hit a Gush Katif community, causing damage but no injuries. Near Rafiach, Arabs threw two grenades at IDF vehicles, and bombed and fired upon an IDF outpost near Gadid. Outside of Gaza, an IDF force noticed a pipebomb near the Shomron community of Sa-Nur, and safely detonated it.