By Ryan Jones
Oct 31, 2005
In the ongoing absence of Palestinian Authority compliance with its signed agreements, Israel is turning to local Arab populations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza to help it root out the scourge of Islamic terrorism in those areas, and thus pave the way for coexistence and peace.
Jerusalem maintains that the PA's decade-and-a-half-long failure to honor its Oslo and Road Map commitments to disarm and dismantle terrorist organizations from Hamas to Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is the one thing preventing meaningful peace negotiations.
It has also resulted in a still ongoing stream of Jewish funerals.
Israel's security forces have for years recruited and nurtured networks of ?Palestinians? willing to help uproot local terrorism. Last week, however, the IDF decided to open the war on terror to the general Arab public.
Thousands of leaflets were dropped on northern Gaza Saturday evening urging residents to call a local telephone number and inform the security forces of ?the names and locations of terrorists who intend to fire? Kassam rockets and mortar shells at nearby Israeli towns.
The leaflet noted that Israel must take all measures to halt such attacks on its cities, but told local Arabs they could prevent unintended collateral damage to themselves and their families by helping the IDF pinpoint rocket crews before they have a chance to strike.
Those willing to help were instructed to make their call from ?where nobody knows you? to avoid being executed as ?collaborators? by the terrorists or the PA.
A similar leaflet was reportedly distributed by IDF troops in the Samarian town of Tulkarm.
Meanwhile, two recorded phone messages were sent to households in northern Samaria and Gaza, reminding residents there that ?the Israeli security forces are working to protect you, get the terrorists out.?
It is hoped these measures will give the ?Palestinians? an opportunity to prove Washington's assertions that they are in general a peace-loving people who are committed to ending the violence and living in harmony with the Jews.
For their part, Israel's official peace partners in the PA demanded that the Arabs living under their rule ignore the Israelis calls for a cooperative effort against terrorism.
PA Interior Minister Nasser Youssef called the leaflets a form of ?incitement,? and said the aim was clearly to ?ignite sedition,? the PA-controlled International Press Center reported.