The war continued over the holiday weekend on several fronts. In the northern Galilee town of Betzet, south of the western sector of the border, Hizbullah fired anti-aircraft fire once again, shrapnel from which damaged several buildings. A similar attack and similar damage occurred yesterday in Kfar Yuval, in the Galilee Panhandle just west of the northern Golan Heights.
In addition to the Beit El attack (see below), IDF forces thwarted other attacks as well over the long holiday weekend, including attempted Arab suicide bombings. Terrorists who were arrested during the recent Operation Defensive Shield tipped off GSS agents to the planned attacks. Troops entered PLO-controlled Ramallah and neighboring areas on Thursday and arrested dozens of wanted terrorists - including two Hamas members from Bituniya, northwest of Ramallah, who were preparing a Jerusalem suicide attack during the Shavuot holiday weekend. Also arrested were two Islamic Jihad members who were planning various attacks. IDF troops also returned to Jenin over the weekend, arresting 24 Arab terror suspects. Two of them were wanted terrorists who managed to avoid arrest during Operation Defensive Shield. Gun battles erupted in Jenin, lightly wounding one IDF soldier, and the troops withdrew by Friday afternoon.
Two Israeli-Arabs were killed in separate incidents by IDF troops over the weekend. Dr. Mahmud Ali Zkhaika of Jerusalem was killed yesterday after he attempted to speed away from soldiers at a checkpoint north of Hevron; soldiers fired at the car, causing it to overturn, and the man subsequently died. A passenger was seen attempting to flee from the car, carrying what soldiers said looked like a weapon. On Friday, Samia Zaidan of the Israeli-Arab village of Yama was killed by IDF gunfire when her car was spotted weaving in and out of traffic behind an army vehicle. Soldiers fired at the ground, but a fatal ricocheting bullet hit Zaidan. The army expressed regret and is investigating.
In addition to the Beit El attack (see below), IDF forces thwarted other attacks as well over the long holiday weekend, including attempted Arab suicide bombings. Terrorists who were arrested during the recent Operation Defensive Shield tipped off GSS agents to the planned attacks. Troops entered PLO-controlled Ramallah and neighboring areas on Thursday and arrested dozens of wanted terrorists - including two Hamas members from Bituniya, northwest of Ramallah, who were preparing a Jerusalem suicide attack during the Shavuot holiday weekend. Also arrested were two Islamic Jihad members who were planning various attacks. IDF troops also returned to Jenin over the weekend, arresting 24 Arab terror suspects. Two of them were wanted terrorists who managed to avoid arrest during Operation Defensive Shield. Gun battles erupted in Jenin, lightly wounding one IDF soldier, and the troops withdrew by Friday afternoon.
Two Israeli-Arabs were killed in separate incidents by IDF troops over the weekend. Dr. Mahmud Ali Zkhaika of Jerusalem was killed yesterday after he attempted to speed away from soldiers at a checkpoint north of Hevron; soldiers fired at the car, causing it to overturn, and the man subsequently died. A passenger was seen attempting to flee from the car, carrying what soldiers said looked like a weapon. On Friday, Samia Zaidan of the Israeli-Arab village of Yama was killed by IDF gunfire when her car was spotted weaving in and out of traffic behind an army vehicle. Soldiers fired at the ground, but a fatal ricocheting bullet hit Zaidan. The army expressed regret and is investigating.