IDF troops, guided by intelligence information received in the past few days, operated in PLO-controlled Kalkilye and Tul Karem this morning, in search of wanted terrorists and explosives labs. They departed Tul Karem in the afternoon hours, leaving the city tightly encircled as a way of preventing suicide bombers from entering pre-1967 Israel. Troops also entered Bethlehem over the weekend, their first return to the city since the Church of the Nativity standoff ended on May 10, and apprehended one suspected terrorist. The Bethlehem operation came in response to last week’s suicide bombing in Rishon LeTzion that left 2 Israelis dead and wounded 40. The 16-year-old Palestinian terrorist who carried out the attack was dispatched from the Bethlehem area. Israeli tanks also briefly entered PA-controlled northern Gaza, in light of intelligence warnings of likely attempted terrorist infiltrations into pre-\'67 Israel.
On Friday, soldiers\' entry into Tul Karem sparked off gunfire by Arab gunmen that claimed the life of Sgt.-Maj. Oren Tzelnik, 23, from Bat Yam. Two other soldiers were wounded in the firefight. Tzelnik, survived by his parents and three sisters, was laid to rest this afternoon in the Holon cemetery.
A senior Yesha region commander said that terrorism warnings have intensified since Wednesday, and only the presence of IDF forces in the PA cities prevents the exit of terrorists to carry out attacks. On the other hand, another officer said that the army does not plan to remain there for long. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said this morning that Israel will intensify its offensives in PA areas. He said that we have reached a situation where, \"every day we have one or two suicide terrorists, although the IDF, thank G-d, is able to stop 90% of the attempted attacks.\"
On Friday, soldiers\' entry into Tul Karem sparked off gunfire by Arab gunmen that claimed the life of Sgt.-Maj. Oren Tzelnik, 23, from Bat Yam. Two other soldiers were wounded in the firefight. Tzelnik, survived by his parents and three sisters, was laid to rest this afternoon in the Holon cemetery.
A senior Yesha region commander said that terrorism warnings have intensified since Wednesday, and only the presence of IDF forces in the PA cities prevents the exit of terrorists to carry out attacks. On the other hand, another officer said that the army does not plan to remain there for long. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said this morning that Israel will intensify its offensives in PA areas. He said that we have reached a situation where, \"every day we have one or two suicide terrorists, although the IDF, thank G-d, is able to stop 90% of the attempted attacks.\"