By Ryan Jones
Jun 16, 2004
Unrelenting “Palestinian” efforts to murder Israel’s Jews continue apace, while at the same time Israel has experienced overwhelming success in thwarting planned “mega” and other terrorist attacks.
Since January 2004, Israeli security forces have prevented 72 major “Palestinian” attacks, including a Hamas mega-attack involving six homicide bombers planned for this month.
IDF intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze’evi (Farkash) Tuesday said the motivation of terror groups to attack Israelis remains high, though the operational ability of groups such as Hamas has been severely diminished as a result of IDF anti-terror operations.
Meanwhile, Yasser Arafat’s ruling Fatah party this week decided to seriously address the grievances of its Al Aqsa Brigades “military wing” – an internationally recognized terror group responsible for the murder of many Israeli men, women and children.
“Palestinian” Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said Al Aqsa was receiving the full attention of the PA leadership, and that the current goal was to protect the group’s terrorist gunmen, who are wanted by Israel for killing innocent Jews.
Target:Israeli Jews
IDF soldiers two weeks ago apprehended six Hamas terrorists attempting to infiltrate sovereign Israel via the Gaza’s Strip’s Karni Crossing, Farkash told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday.
The six planned to carry out simultaneous bombings in an effort to perpetrate a “mega” attack, Farkash said.
Also two weeks ago, General Security Service (Shin Bet) agents arrested an Arab resident of Jerusalem who was planning to bomb the Prime Minister’s Office. The would-be bomber was to be supplied with an explosive device by Arab merchants operating out of an area under PA-control north of the capital.
Court gag orders on both incidents were lifted this week.
On Tuesday, IDF troops stationed in the Gaza Strip prevented a major car bomb attack on the Jewish settlement of Netzarim.
The explosives-laden vehicle exploded prematurely after alert soldiers opened fire on it.
Farkash pointed out that the motivation of “Palestinian” terror groups to attack and murder Israeli Jews remains high, despite - and according to many, as a result of - the sweeping diplomatic concessions contained in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s pullout plan.
A military solution
The terrorists have been unsuccessful only as a result of punishing IDF anti-terror operations, the intelligence chief said.
Since the start of 2004, Israeli security forces had thwarted no fewer than 72 major “Palestinian” attacks, Farkash reported to his Knesset overseers. Only 10 major attacks had succeeded during that same period.
Military experts have warned that Israel’s flight from Gaza would prevent the IDF from effectively stemming the tide of Islamic terror in the area.
Terror’s patron
Meanwhile, Yasser Arafat’s ruling Fatah party has decided to seriously address the grievances of the Al Aqsa Brigades terror group, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Seeking to maintain plausible deniability in the brutal terrorist murder of Israeli Jews, Fatah has long denied any direct link to the Brigades.
But a threat by the group on Sunday to break away from its parent organization if the gunmen did not receive their regular PA salaries prompted Arafat to convene an emergency meeting of the Fatah Central Committee and set up a special panel to attend to the terrorists’ demands.
Arafat lackey Ahmed Qureia, who attended the meeting, said Al Aqsa was receiving the full attention of the PA leadership, and that the current goal was to protect the group’s terrorist gunmen.
Terrorists belonging to the Brigades are often targeted for elimination by the IDF.
Reports indicated Arafat had gone so far as to invite the Al Aqsa gunmen to officially join the PA security forces. Senior “Palestinian” officials confirmed that report when questioned by the Post .
Under the terms of its signed agreements with Israel, the PA is obligated to disarm and dismantle all terrorist organizations.