Posted on 02/11/2003 6:25:18 AM PST by Israel Insider
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz reversed an earlier decision to ease conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank after intelligence indicated over 50 focused warnings of imminent terror attacks, some described as "mega-attacks." The number and intensity of the threatened attacks is described by military officials as "unprecedented." Palestinians will not be allowed to enter Israel until at least Friday.
An official statement issued by the IDF Spokesperson said: "Following numerous intelligence warnings that terrorist organizations plan on carrying out terrorist attacks, it was decided to cancel the lifting of the restrictions and to impose a total closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well as a naval blockade in the Gaza Strip."
The army said the closure would be in effect until Friday, but added it would allow the passage of Palestinians for "humanitarian purposes."
The orders imposing a "total closure" on the territories were a rare move, usually reserved for Israeli holidays such as Yom Kippur and Independence Day.
Yesterday, the army, acting on Mofaz's orders, began lifting of a number of restrictions on the Palestinian population ahead of the Muslim holiday of Id El Adha. Curfews were lifted in all Palestinian cities except Hebron and plans were made to issue work permits to Palestinian men from the age of 28, instead of 35.
Mofaz's decision to impose the closure was made after his consultations with military and intelligence officials. "An unprecedented number of warnings of imminent suicide bombing attacks have accumulated," security officials told Maariv. One security source was quoted as saying, "The security picture now is worse than the defense establishment faced before Operation Defensive Shield," launched last year following a spate of deadly attacks, Haaretz reported.
Military officials said recently there has been a rise in attempts by the Palestinian terror organizations to perpetrate attacks against Israeli targets. "There are efforts on every front, in every place and at all times," one military source told Maariv.
Military analysts said the recent surge in terrorist activities was an effort to disrupt recent Israeli-Palestinian talks aimed at achieving a cease-fire, Yediot Aharonot reported. Another factor is the impending U.S. strike against Iraq. A senior defense source told Haaretz that Iraq and Iran have been pressing the terrorists to initiate major attacks.
Don't even think it.
Most Iraqis are on our side, as shown by International Crisis Group sureptitious polling. As for Iran, I haven't heard of such polling, but the fact that protesters yell pro-American slogans should give an idea. Now Syria, I haven't read about lately, but does seem to be a country closed enough that its people do not understand the real story. However, it is the the regimes and their military which would be obliterated under these scenarios, not the metropolitan areas.
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