IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon, speaking at today's Cabinet meeting some hours before the fatal Hizbullah attack, said that Hizbullah is heating up the area in an attempt to make up for its failure to get its prisoners released from Israeli jails. Yaalon said that Israel holds Syria and Lebanon responsible, and said that the IDF is prepared with a variety of responses to Hizbullah's escalation of the violence.
Among other things, Yaalon told said that PA security forces stopped a truck loaded with Kassam rockets at a Gaza roadblock - and allowed it to continue on its way. Cars carrying Islamic Jihad terrorists were also allowed to pass the roadblock, Yaalon said.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the ministers at today's Cabinet meeting that there would be no progress on implementing the issue of a provisional Palestinian state "before the Palestinians have fully and completely carried out their binding commitments." IMRA's Dr. Aaron Lerner noted that this statement does not preclude negotiations on the matter of a provisional PA state, thus that "Mr. Sharon leaves open the possibility that Israel may not only negotiate but might even complete negotiations before the Palestinians get around to honoring their obligations."