Fatal Palestinian terrorism is back. Maj. Haggai (Chaim) Lev, 24, of Jerusalem, was killed this morning in a clash with Arab gunmen south of Rafiach. He was the first Israeli killed by terrorists in 20 days - the longest period of such quiet since the beginning of the Oslo War over 21 months ago. He was killed when the Arabs fired at an IDF force in the Kerem Shalom area, south of the Gaza Strip. Flown to Soroka Hospital in Be\'er Sheva in critical condition, Maj. Lev died there of his wounds. After growing up in Efrat in one of the first families to move there, he married and moved to Jerusalem less than a year ago. He is survived by his wife and three-week old baby. Maj. Lev will be buried in the Mt. Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem at 7:30 tonight.



Further north, in Gaza itself, terrorists launched mortar shells at a Jewish community last night, and fired at an IDF outpost near Gadid. No one was hurt. Yesterday afternoon, IDF soldiers arrested over 20 Arabs in the PLO-controlled village of Beit Rima, north of Ramallah. Many of them had been wanted by Israel for terrorism involvement. Another two terrorists were arrested last night in the Hevron district.



\"On again, off again\" high terrorism alerts were in force in the Kfar Sava area this morning, but were downgraded early this afternoon. Police presence near the Green Line there had been beefed up with checkpoints and extra manpower.