The IDF entered the city under fire and two soldiers were lightly injured. The troops returned fire which hit two Arab terrorists.
Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra and Police Inspector General Moshe Karadi said they are investigating if there is a connection between the Netanya attack and the attempted suicide bombing at the Samarian community of Shavei Shomron. An Arab terrorist prematurely exploded his booby-trapped truck after entering the town, south of Jenin and several miles east of Tulkarm. According to the government evacuation and withdrawal plan, Shavei Shomron will border the area to be controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Israel gave PA full responsibility for Tulkarm several weeks ago as a "good will" measure to shore up the standing of PA chairman Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas). The city is about seven miles east of Netanya, and the Tulkarm area also was the home of the last suicide bomber, who killed five Israelis in the February attack on The Stage nightclub. The IDF also has arrested other would-be suicide bombers from the Tulkarm and Jenin areas before they were able to carry out an attack.
The IDF imposed a total travel ban preventing Arabs from leaving Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Military spokesmen said the ban is effect "until further notice" and that the takeover in Tulkarm would last at least several days.
After hearing of the suicide bombing Tuesday evening, Defense Minister Sh'aul Mofaz canceled scheduled meetings with PA minister Mohammed Dahlan and with American special Middle East envoy Lt.-General William Ward.
Abu Mazen denounced the terrorist attack as an act against both Israel and Arabs, and he vowed to arrest the Islamic Jihad gang which planned the suicide bombing. He has made similar statements in the past after terrorist attacks, and Israel did not inform him of the IDF's taking control of Tulkarm.
Military spokesmen said that the PA has not acted on Israeli intelligence information and has not arrested terrorists whose location is known. More than 50 warnings of terrorist attacks have been received daily for several months after a brief lull following the Sharm el-Sheikh accords in February. According to the agreement, Israel was to free 900 Arab terrorists and prisoners and give the PA control of five cities, and the PA was supposed to disarm terrorists.
After continued mortar shelling, rocket attack, sniper fire, attempts to stage suicide bombings and the re-entry of several freed prisoners into terrorist organizations, the PA and the American government convinced Israel to give the PA control of Jericho and Tulkarm as "good will" measures.
Last night's suicide bombing put an end, at least temporarily, to negotiations with the PA. Labor Minister Matan Vilnai, a former upper echelon IDF officer and an enthusiastic supporter of the evacuation plan, said Wednesday morning that Israel must cut off contact with the PA. He added that the IDF must fill the vacuum left by the PA and destroy the Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure.
Government coalition members did not link the terrorist attack with the timetable for turning over to the PA Gaza and northern Samaria after the execution of the plan to force more than 9,000 Jews out of their homes. Defense Minister Mofaz said the government would not allow the Islamic Jihad to achieve its objective of stopping the plan.
Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra and Police Inspector General Moshe Karadi said they are investigating if there is a connection between the Netanya attack and the attempted suicide bombing at the Samarian community of Shavei Shomron. An Arab terrorist prematurely exploded his booby-trapped truck after entering the town, south of Jenin and several miles east of Tulkarm. According to the government evacuation and withdrawal plan, Shavei Shomron will border the area to be controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Israel gave PA full responsibility for Tulkarm several weeks ago as a "good will" measure to shore up the standing of PA chairman Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas). The city is about seven miles east of Netanya, and the Tulkarm area also was the home of the last suicide bomber, who killed five Israelis in the February attack on The Stage nightclub. The IDF also has arrested other would-be suicide bombers from the Tulkarm and Jenin areas before they were able to carry out an attack.
The IDF imposed a total travel ban preventing Arabs from leaving Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Military spokesmen said the ban is effect "until further notice" and that the takeover in Tulkarm would last at least several days.
After hearing of the suicide bombing Tuesday evening, Defense Minister Sh'aul Mofaz canceled scheduled meetings with PA minister Mohammed Dahlan and with American special Middle East envoy Lt.-General William Ward.
Abu Mazen denounced the terrorist attack as an act against both Israel and Arabs, and he vowed to arrest the Islamic Jihad gang which planned the suicide bombing. He has made similar statements in the past after terrorist attacks, and Israel did not inform him of the IDF's taking control of Tulkarm.
Military spokesmen said that the PA has not acted on Israeli intelligence information and has not arrested terrorists whose location is known. More than 50 warnings of terrorist attacks have been received daily for several months after a brief lull following the Sharm el-Sheikh accords in February. According to the agreement, Israel was to free 900 Arab terrorists and prisoners and give the PA control of five cities, and the PA was supposed to disarm terrorists.
After continued mortar shelling, rocket attack, sniper fire, attempts to stage suicide bombings and the re-entry of several freed prisoners into terrorist organizations, the PA and the American government convinced Israel to give the PA control of Jericho and Tulkarm as "good will" measures.
Last night's suicide bombing put an end, at least temporarily, to negotiations with the PA. Labor Minister Matan Vilnai, a former upper echelon IDF officer and an enthusiastic supporter of the evacuation plan, said Wednesday morning that Israel must cut off contact with the PA. He added that the IDF must fill the vacuum left by the PA and destroy the Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure.
Government coalition members did not link the terrorist attack with the timetable for turning over to the PA Gaza and northern Samaria after the execution of the plan to force more than 9,000 Jews out of their homes. Defense Minister Mofaz said the government would not allow the Islamic Jihad to achieve its objective of stopping the plan.