Shortly after the onset of hostilities almost 11 months ago, a Central Command army base in northern Jerusalem opened a new gate. The new entrance was designed to let army vehicles detour the Shuafat road, which was considered \"dangerous.\" This past Thursday, however, the base commander assembled all his soldiers and officers and informed them that senior Central Command officers had decided to close the new gate. \"From now on,\" he said, \"all traffic in and out of the base will be via the Shuafat road. We must not show the Palestinians that we are afraid of them.\"
The GSS arrested two Arabs in Gaza this morning, caught trying to smuggle 20,000 rounds of IDF ammunition into Gaza. Soldiers manning the Karni Checkpoint in northern Gaza were routinely checking trucks passing between pre-1967 Israel and Gaza when they noticed suspicious boxes sandwiched in between layers of construction materials. Their suspicions were further aroused when a man began unloading the truck even before they had completed their check.
Prime Minister Sharon met with the IDF General Staff and was told that its members are totally against diplomatic contacts with the PA while the violence continues, as this would be \"surrender to Arafat\'s terrorism.\" Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said, however, that limited contacts could be held even now.
The GSS arrested two Arabs in Gaza this morning, caught trying to smuggle 20,000 rounds of IDF ammunition into Gaza. Soldiers manning the Karni Checkpoint in northern Gaza were routinely checking trucks passing between pre-1967 Israel and Gaza when they noticed suspicious boxes sandwiched in between layers of construction materials. Their suspicions were further aroused when a man began unloading the truck even before they had completed their check.
Prime Minister Sharon met with the IDF General Staff and was told that its members are totally against diplomatic contacts with the PA while the violence continues, as this would be \"surrender to Arafat\'s terrorism.\" Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said, however, that limited contacts could be held even now.