If it\'s Monday, it must be Hevron. Early this morning, IDF forces backed by tanks and helicopter gunships entered the PLO-controlled sections of the city, including Abu Sneineh and Haret A-Sheikh. The forces, on a mission to destroy the terrorist infrastructure whose most recent \"accomplishment\" was the attack two days ago in Adura that left four Israelis dead, including 5-year-old Danielle Shefi, arrested 17 terrorist suspects, killed nine Arabs, and wounded another ten. Two of the more seriously wounded Palestinians were flown in an IDF helicopter to an Israeli hospital. Israel Radio reports that a member of Yasser Arafat’s Force 17 guard was among those killed. The forces found, within the first few hours, a carbomb ready for detonation, explosives vests, Low missiles, and other terrorist-attack weapons.
The Jewish Community of Hevron calls upon the government not to withdraw the forces from the Abu Sneineh and Haret A-Sheikh hills at the end of the mission. Terrorists often fire at the Jewish residents from those areas; snipers in Abu Sneineh shot and killed ten-month-old Shalhevet Pass last year, and have wounded others. The residents also request that the army allow them to pray at the gravesite of the Biblical-period Israelite leader Otniel ben K\'naz, as is customary on Lag BaOmer [a holiday that falls tomorrow]. The Palestinians have prevented the Jews from visiting the site, in violation of the Hevron Agreement of 1997.
Hevron and Jericho were the only two cities in Judea and Samaria that were not included in Israel’s recent Operation Defensive Shield. Israel says that it will only remain in Hevron for a limited time, until its current anti-terror objectives are met.
Other war news:
In Gaza, gunfire was directed last night at an IDF force near the Sufah Crossing and near N\'vei Dekalim, and several grenades were hurled at the IDF outpost on the Israeli-Egyptian border... Terrorists also fired a mortar shell at one of the Jewish communities in Gaza; it exploded, but no one was hurt... In Bethlehem this morning, one of many Moslem gunmen using the Church of the Nativity as refuge and to hold a number of Christian clergy hostage, opened fire on Israeli soldiers outside the building. IDF snipers fired back and killed the attacker... A leading Hamas fugitive was caught this morning by IDF forces near Ramallah. He had been imprisoned several times by the PA, but was released each time...
Yaakov Katz of Adura, who was murdered two days ago when Palestinian terrorists dressed as IDF soldiers infiltrated the town and began shooting, was buried this afternoon in Jerusalem. Two other victims - 5-year-old Danielle Shefi and Arik Becker, 23 - were buried yesterday, and the funeral of the fourth - Katia Greenberg, some of whose family lives in Russia - has not yet been set.
The Jewish Community of Hevron calls upon the government not to withdraw the forces from the Abu Sneineh and Haret A-Sheikh hills at the end of the mission. Terrorists often fire at the Jewish residents from those areas; snipers in Abu Sneineh shot and killed ten-month-old Shalhevet Pass last year, and have wounded others. The residents also request that the army allow them to pray at the gravesite of the Biblical-period Israelite leader Otniel ben K\'naz, as is customary on Lag BaOmer [a holiday that falls tomorrow]. The Palestinians have prevented the Jews from visiting the site, in violation of the Hevron Agreement of 1997.
Hevron and Jericho were the only two cities in Judea and Samaria that were not included in Israel’s recent Operation Defensive Shield. Israel says that it will only remain in Hevron for a limited time, until its current anti-terror objectives are met.
Other war news:
In Gaza, gunfire was directed last night at an IDF force near the Sufah Crossing and near N\'vei Dekalim, and several grenades were hurled at the IDF outpost on the Israeli-Egyptian border... Terrorists also fired a mortar shell at one of the Jewish communities in Gaza; it exploded, but no one was hurt... In Bethlehem this morning, one of many Moslem gunmen using the Church of the Nativity as refuge and to hold a number of Christian clergy hostage, opened fire on Israeli soldiers outside the building. IDF snipers fired back and killed the attacker... A leading Hamas fugitive was caught this morning by IDF forces near Ramallah. He had been imprisoned several times by the PA, but was released each time...
Yaakov Katz of Adura, who was murdered two days ago when Palestinian terrorists dressed as IDF soldiers infiltrated the town and began shooting, was buried this afternoon in Jerusalem. Two other victims - 5-year-old Danielle Shefi and Arik Becker, 23 - were buried yesterday, and the funeral of the fourth - Katia Greenberg, some of whose family lives in Russia - has not yet been set.