The southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo on Tuesday night was attacked by heavy machinegun fire as well as three waves of mortar shells.
The first 60mm shell landed on Rabbi Aryeh ben Eliezer Street at the community center. The second mortar landed in a parking lot on Bosem Street and the third, on the roof of a building on HaTe’ena Street. There were no injuries in any of the attacks but there were reports of damages.
Large caliber machinegun fire was also directed at Gilo. The Israel Radio mobile broadcast vehicle was hit while correspondent Uri Nussbaum was interviewing Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert. There were no injuries.
There is growing concern among neighborhood residents following the serious escalation in warfare. The bulletproof windows installed in the homes of many neighborhood residents facing PA-controlled Beit Jala and Bethlehem are not designed to withstand the mortars or even the heavy caliber machinegun fire, removing any feeling of security that some residents may have had.
On Wednesday, government officials will instruct Gilo residents on procedures for entering into bomb shelters, with the realization the attacks that continued throughout the night will most likely continue for an indefinite period of time.
Following the IDF incursion into Beit Jala on Monday night, terrorist forces began firing from adjacent Bethlehem. Analysts believe that Yasser Arafat is working to provoke a military incursion into Bethlehem to evoke a loud anti-Israel response from the Christian world. For the time being, the IDF has returned fire but there has been no activity pointing towards Bethlehem.
The first 60mm shell landed on Rabbi Aryeh ben Eliezer Street at the community center. The second mortar landed in a parking lot on Bosem Street and the third, on the roof of a building on HaTe’ena Street. There were no injuries in any of the attacks but there were reports of damages.
Large caliber machinegun fire was also directed at Gilo. The Israel Radio mobile broadcast vehicle was hit while correspondent Uri Nussbaum was interviewing Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert. There were no injuries.
There is growing concern among neighborhood residents following the serious escalation in warfare. The bulletproof windows installed in the homes of many neighborhood residents facing PA-controlled Beit Jala and Bethlehem are not designed to withstand the mortars or even the heavy caliber machinegun fire, removing any feeling of security that some residents may have had.
On Wednesday, government officials will instruct Gilo residents on procedures for entering into bomb shelters, with the realization the attacks that continued throughout the night will most likely continue for an indefinite period of time.
Following the IDF incursion into Beit Jala on Monday night, terrorist forces began firing from adjacent Bethlehem. Analysts believe that Yasser Arafat is working to provoke a military incursion into Bethlehem to evoke a loud anti-Israel response from the Christian world. For the time being, the IDF has returned fire but there has been no activity pointing towards Bethlehem.