IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha’ul Mofaz gave his usual briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today. Some excerpts from his remarks there and afterwards to reporters:

* He said that he never recommended the dismantling of isolated settlements, and will not do so in the future.

* Regarding the killing by Hizbullah of an Israeli soldier last week near Har Dov on the Lebanese border: \"We should respond, and we will do so after we take everything into consideration, and it will happen when and where we decide.”

* \"All the Palestinian security services are actively engaged in terrorism. The fighting in Yesha is being led by the Palestinian Authority... In the eyes of the IDF, this is a war for all intents and purposes.”

* \"Fatah [the PLO’s military arm which had “sworn off” violence] has received the green light to carry out terrorist acts.\"