Last update - 00:00 24/10/2006
Fatah man charged in 2004 shooting attack at Erez industrial zone
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
A Palestinian militant from the Fatah movement was charged Tuesday with allegedly sending two terrorists to carry out a shooting attack at the Erez industrial zone in February 2004, in which an Israel Defense Forces reserves soldier was killed.
Khaled Amsa, a 43-year-old member of Fatah's armed wing, was arrested a month ago in an IDF arrest raid in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Be'er Sheva District Court indicted Amsa for helping the perpetrators of the attack infiltrate into Israel through a tunnel near the Erez industrial zone. Amsa was also charged with attempted to help militants infiltrate Israel to carry out suicide bombing, and allegedly even recruited his own son to carry out a suicide attack.
IDF soldier Amir Zimmerman was shot dead in the attack at the Erez crossing on February 26, 2004. Security was raised early that day in the area of the industrial zone after the IDF was alerted to an expected infiltration attack.
Zimmerman, who was standing guard at the front the IDF position, later heard noise coming from a nearby junkyard. When he opened the gate to check, the terrorists opened fire on him and killed him.
The perpetrators were killed in an ensuing gunbattle with other soldiers at the position.