Last update - 02:04 30/12/2007
Israel captures truckload of bomb chemicals in W. Bank
By Haaretz Correspondents and AP , By Yuval Azoulay and Avi Issacharoff
The Israeli authorities captured a truck loaded with six tons of potassium nitrate at one of the West Bank crossings several weeks ago. The information was released for publication yesterday.
The chemical compound, used by terrorist groups to manufacture explosives, was disguised in sugar sacks marked as part of European humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the territories.
In other West Bank news, two Palestinians were caught with knives in their possession yesterday at the Hawara checkpoint, near Nablus.
A bomb went off yesterday near an IDF patrol along the perimeter fence in the central Gaza Strip. No one was hurt but an army jeep was damaged.
Some 15 mortar shells were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip over the weekend. There were no casualties.
On Friday night, the IDF arrested 7 Palestinians in Hebron, according to Palestinian security officials. The army only confirmed five arrests.
On Thursday night, the IDF shot and killed one of the bodyguards of Palestinian chief negotiator Ahmed Qureia. Moazzem Sherif, 22, was shot during an attempt to arrest him in Beitunia, west of Ramallah.
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas leaders yesterday declared a ban on public rallies by the Fatah movement in a fresh move to tighten their hold on power, but Fatah officials vowed to defy the order and go ahead with planned marches to celebrate the movement's 43rd anniversary next week. Scores of Fatah student activists were rounded up Friday inside the Fatah-affiliated Al-Azhar university, and told to sign a pledge not to participate in Fatah rallies or face jail and a fine.