Last update - 02:16 06/01/2008
IDF operation in Nablus ends with twenty arrests
By Yuval Azoulay and Avi Issacharoff
In an operation in Nablus the Israel Defense Force uncovered a rocket factory that security sources said belonged to Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. The operation that began Wednesday night and was code-named Electric Cavern was declared completed yesterday.
During the joint operation with the Shin Bet security services, about 20 Palestinian terror suspects were arrested. At least half are considered senior figures and were wanted for their role in suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis. Most of those arrested are affiliated with Fatah.
The operation was the most extensive sweep in Nablus in recent months. An IDF statement said it was aimed at destroying terror networks.
In addition to sweeps of the alleyways of the Nablus casbah, soldiers searched a complex of caves and hiding places - some in use since ancient times - underneath the casbah.
The caves were first searched by the IDF last summer, and recently a decision was made to carry out an extensive operation there. On Thursday, a rocket development laboratory was uncovered. Security sources described this as an initial attempt to develop ballistic capability.
The operation began on Wednesday night, focusing on Za'auta, north of Nablus. Later, special forces raided the casbah, with support from special units of the Paratroopers and Golani Brigades, as well as Border Police units.
Yesterday morning a paratroopers' force discovered an explosives laboratory in one of the homes, containing a suicide-bomber belt, ball bearings, explosives, gunpowder and other bomb making materials in addition to magazines for M-16 and AK-47 rifles.
During the operation there were a number of protests and stone-throwing incidents by Palestinians. The Israeli forces used crowd control tactics.
An IDF spokesman said yesterday that the operation was coordinated with the Palestinian Authority and that despite its relatively long duration the civilian population did not experience hardship. The Civil Administration distributed food and medicine to Palestinians during the operation and repaired infrastructure damage caused in the course of the operation.
PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said yesterday that the IDF operation in Nablus was liable to have a disastrous impact on the peace process.
"These actions destroy our security efforts, which began to yield results recently to the point where people were noticing the change," Fayyad said.
Palestinian security efforts have been significant, but Israeli security sources say they are focused only on Hamas and choose to ignore Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades networks, which are affiliated with the ruling party in the PA, Fatah.
Abbas in Riyadh for talks on Hamas
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Saudi Arabia yesterday to meet with King Abdullah on the possibility of renewing talks between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas.
Riyadh has been actively urging Abbas to renew contacts with the radical Islamist organization that took over the Gaza Strip following a brief battle with Fatah in June.
For his part, Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal called on Abbas to renew the dialogue with his group without preconditions.
"We are ready for dialogue without conditions," Meshal said. "Our hand is extended out and all the issues in dispute can be put on the table," he added.
But Meshal also demanded that Fayyad's government resign and called on the Palestinians to undermine its efforts to govern. He said its behavior is detrimental to the interests of the Palestinian people.