Defense/Security
Rifle-Smuggling into Gaza Nipped in the Bud; Terror Continues
17:33 Apr 13, '05 / 4 Nisan 5765
The porous Israeli-Egyptian border at Gaza was partially stopped up last night, when Israeli security authorities discovered and confiscated a stash of 36 rifles about to be smuggled into Gaza.
An Israeli Border Police unit thwarted the smuggling of the Kalachnikov automatic rifles, but nine men involved in the attempt managed to flee the scene back into Egypt. Some 140 Kalachnikov rifles have been intercepted by Israeli forces along the Egyptian border since January 1, 2005 - a tiny amount in comparison with those that were not intercepted. According to army estimates, between July 2004 and February 2005, over 3,000 assault rifles were smuggled into Gaza, as well as 400,000 bullets, 400 pistols, and 600 kilograms of explosives.
An Arab mob took advantage of the overturning of an IDF jeep in Bethlehem late this afternoon, and began stoning the rescue force that came to help the soldiers. Four soldiers were hurt, including one in light-to-moderate condition, and an Arab who threw bricks at the soldiers was shot and wounded.
A teenaged Arab boy attempted to stab an IDF soldier at the Fouriq Checkpoint in Shomron, east of Shechem, this afternoon. The attacker was taken into custody without having succeeded in his goal.
Near Shechem yesterday, a 15-year-old Arab boy was caught after being hired by Palestinian terrorists to carry five pipe-bombs into pre-1967 Israel.
The boy arrived at the Hawara checkpoint, south of Shechem, during the hot afternoon hours, and his long coat immediately aroused the suspicions of soldiers manning the position. They ordered the teen to halt, with the intention of checking him. However, he then pulled out what appeared to be an ignition device in an attempt to detonate one his five bombs in the direction of the soldiers. A soldier aimed his weapon at him, prompting him to drop all five bombs, which the soldiers later blew up in a controlled explosion. Security officials believe the apprehension of the 15-year-old terrorist averted a series of bombings in Israel.
Palestinian terrorists fired two mortar shells towards the Gush Katif town of Gadid last night, and IDF forces found and safely detonated explosives in southern and northern Gaza last night and today. No one was hurt in these incidents.
Earlier this week, IDF forces entered the city of Shechem (Nablus) for the first time in two months. They were pursuing a long-time wanted Hizbullah terrorist, who first took refuge in a building but then surrendered peacefully. He was in the midst of planning a major terrorist attack, set to have taken place in the near future.
The IDF Judea District Military Court yesterday sentenced several Arab terrorists to several life terms each. A Jenin-area terrorist will serve 20 consecutive life terms in jail for his part in a terrorist bombing in June 2002, in which 19 people were murdered. A suicide terrorist blew himself up on a Jerusalem city bus near Gilo, murdering Dr. Moshe Gottlieb, who was on his way to his weekly volunteer chiropractor work with Down Syndrom children; bus driver Rachamim Tzidkiyahu; 11-year-old Galila Bugala; and 16 others.
Another Arab terrorist was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for murdering two Israeli soldiers, in November 2001 and February 2002. Two other Palestinian terrorists were sentenced to seven consecutive jail terms each for several shooting attacks, in which six people were killed.
Two days ago, the Samaria District Military Court sentenced the head of the Jenin-area Hamas movement to nine consecutive jail terms, and an additional 20 years, for his direct involvement in the 2002 bus bombing at the Meiron Junction in the north. Nine people were killed in the attack.
Published: 11:55 April 13, 2005
Last Update: 17:33 April 13, 2005
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Hassan Hashash, a Palestinian aged 15, was detained by the Israeli military on Tuesday, April 12, at the Hawara checkpoint south of Nablus in the West Bank. Hashash had been hiding five explosive charges under a winter coat before attempting to ignite one in the presence of Israeli soldiers, the military said. In the sweltering 26°C (78°F) heat, the teenager's incongruous attire caught the attention of an IDF paratrooper nicknamed Muli.

"The boy pulled out a matchbox, held up a pipe bomb, and attempted to detonate it," said Muli. "We aimed our weapons at him and told him to move away from us" (Ynet).

The military reported that after taking the youth to an isolated area they searched him and found another four explosives.

"You could see it's a young child who was sent by someone," said Muli. "I looked into his eyes: he was on the brink of tears and scared to death."

The Hawara checkpoint has seen this kind of trouble before. In April 2004, soldiers there arrested a 16-year-old, also Palestinian, with a suicide bomb strapped to his body. The teenager, Hussam Abdo, later told an Israeli newspaper he was on a mission to kill Israeli soldiers. 

Israeli radio noted that this is the third Palestinian child in the past two months caught attempting to transfer explosives past Israeli checkpoints.