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Palestinians gathering around an IDF officer's car on Mon. which was torched after he entered in the West Bank town of Jenin. (AP)
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Livni: Rescue of IDF major proves strength of PA security forces
By Avi Issacharoff, and Amos Harel Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday praised the Palestinian Authority for rescuing an Israel Defense Forces officer who inadvertently entered the West Bank city of Jenin.

"This operation proves that the Palestinian government and its forces are growing stronger in the field relative to the terrorist organizations," Livni said, during a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad.

Livni stressed that the rescue of the IDF officer is an example of how security deterioration can be prevented, and how Israel and the Palestinians can avoid harm to both sides.

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Livni and Fayad also discussed regional developments, including the Middle East summit scheduled to take place in the fall.

The pair agreed on renewing the activity of currently defunct joint Israeli-PA committees on economic and environmental issues.

The PA security forces engaged in a gun battle with Islamic Jihad militants Monday, in order to protect the IDF major who accidentally drove into the West Bank city of Jenin.

The major was evacuated from the area unharmed, and handed over to the IDF.

In October 2000, shortly after the start of the Second Intifada, two IDF reservists were killed by a Palestinian mob who lynched them after they entered Ramallah by mistake.

The incident began Monday when a PA policeman noticed the officer, who was in uniform, driving in central Jenin. The policeman stopped him and called additional security forces to the scene.

In the meantime, a crowd gathered in the area, and tried to assault the IDF officer. PA police evacuated him from the area, and took him to the PA security forces' headquarters in Jenin.

Islamic Jihad militants then opened fire on the headquarters, sparking a gun battle with PA security forces.

Local residents torched the major's car, which was left behind when he was evacuated to the security headquarters.

An initial IDF inquiry into the incident found that the officer's near fatal error was due to his having violated a series of army safety procedures.

The inquiry noted that the officer drove alone on the road from the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron to that of Mevo Dotan. Army regulations, however, demand that personnel traveling there do so in a convoy and in bullet-proof vehicles.

Apparently the IDF soldiers at the Shavei Shomron checkpoint did not stop the officer, as he told them he had permission for his journey. At the following junction, where the IDF does not have a permanent checkpoint, the officer should have turned left and driven westward - while in fact he continued straight ahead.

It is not known whether the officer was armed at the time. Palestinian sources claim the mob that surrounded him took his handgun, though the officer himself argues that he had no weapon on him, despite regulations requiring him to have one.

The IDF's Central Command was to launch a more comprehensive probe on Monday night.

IDF sources said the officer will most likely be given a disciplinary hearing in an army court for the incident.

Also Monday, IDF troops shot and killed a Palestinian near the security fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, the army and Gaza medical staff said.

The middle-aged Palestinian was found, unarmed, in a no-man's land along the fence south of the Karni border crossing with Israel, Palestinian doctors said.

Palestinian sources identified him as Farid Abu Zaher, a 43-year-old farmer.

The IDF said, however, that troops suspected the man had tried to lay an explosive and saw him climbing the fence. When the man saw the troops, he jumped off the fence and began to flee. The soldiers fired at him and saw he was hit.

The soldiers did not know if he was armed, the military said.

Palestinian militants frequently lay explosives against patrolling troops in the area, the army said.

Incidents of unarmed Palestinians approaching the fence have increased since Hamas wrested control of the Gaza Strip in June. On Sunday, six Palestinians apparently looking for work tried to cross the fence into Israel, but were caught and detained by the IDF.

Israel has virtually sealed off Gaza since the Hamas takeover, allowing through only essential supplies, and allowing in only a few Gazans, including people requiring specialized medical treatment and several dozen Palestinians with work and study permits abroad. Israel withdrew in 2005 from the Gaza Strip, where 1.4 million Palestinians live.

Earlier Monday, Israel Air Force aircraft fired a missile at a rocket launcher in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun.

Palestinian witnesses said that the missile destroyed the targeted launcher. They added that no one had been injured in the strike.

The IDF confirmed they had carried out an airstrike.

The Islamic Jihad militant group said it fired a rocket toward Israel from the area. No injuries or damage were reported in Israel.

Earlier Monday, an armed Palestinian man opened fire at IDF troops in the Ein Beit Ilma refugee camp in Nablus. The troops returned fire and hit the armed man. The militant's condition was not immediately clear.

On Sunday, Gaza militants fired three Qassam rockets toward Israel. All three landed in open areas in the western Negev, causing no injuries or damage. Shots were also fired toward an IDF post near kibbutz Nahal Oz on Sunday.

Also Sunday, IDF sappers detonated an explosive device uncovered near kibbutz Kerem Shalom.
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  1.   Something has to be done 12:44  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  2.   Fake indrajaya 1 Alert 13:04  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  3.   Fake indrajaya alert #2 13:23  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  4.   Fake indraya 4 alert 14:05  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  5.   AD: Virgins wanted immediately. Militants are dying like flies. 14:50  |  Murray of Montreal 27/08/07
  6.   Oh At least 4 indrajayas and all of them fake! Wonderful! 14:52  |  Vittorio 27/08/07
  7.   Israeli GENOCIDE continue 14:52  |  Moise 27/08/07
  8.   Oh At least 4 indrajayas and all of them fake! Wonderful! 14:52  |  Vittorio 27/08/07
  9.   Oh At least 4 indrajayas and all of them fake! Wonderful! 14:52  |  Vittorio 27/08/07
  10.   GO FIGHT THE FIRES AFTER THAT 15:37  |  indrajaya 27/08/07
  11.   #7 DON`T want to get SHOT stay away from the FENCE-simple 15:47  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/08/07
  12.   More Israeli terrorism 16:58  |  Stephen Murray 27/08/07
  13.   indrajaya: the Greeks aren`t shooting Qassams or hiding Shalit 17:17  |  Richard S 27/08/07
  14.   Question 17:18  |  Jeff Northridge 27/08/07
  15.   #12 Stephen Murray 17:33  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  16.   #1 Indrajaya 17:36  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  17.   Israeli Terror 17:36  |  Daniel Friedman 27/08/07
  18.   Talkback 17:59  |  JJ 27/08/07
  19.   IDF said the Palestinian had explosives... 18:02  |  Silvienne 27/08/07
  20.   #7, Moise 18:03  |  silvienne 27/08/07
  21.   Moise 18:04  |  Silvienne 27/08/07
  22.   #11, Jon Feigenbaum 18:05  |  Silvienne 27/08/07
  23.   to#16 *BEN JABO, Golani soldiers are waiting for.. 18:08  |  maurice 27/08/07
  24.   MISSING THE POINT 18:08  |  Brant 27/08/07
  25.   Boring indrajaya 18:08  |  hannah 27/08/07
  26.   Stephen Murray 18:14  |  Brant 27/08/07
  27.   Good for the PA 18:54  |  Gina 27/08/07
  28.   No comments about saving... 18:54  |  Gaza Mo 27/08/07
  29.   SOMEONE OUGHT TO TEACH THE IDF ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT 18:55  |  Dutch 27/08/07
  30.   #15 18:56  |  Nadir 27/08/07
  31.   IS THERE ANYONE RESPONSIBLE IN CHARGE? 19:08  |  Dutch 27/08/07
  32.   #15 Ben Jabo 19:20  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/08/07
  33.   Amazing that the PA did the right thing! 19:29  |  Akiva Patysh 27/08/07
  34.   The Difference 19:39  |  Abe 27/08/07
  35.   PA security forces rescue an IDF soldier... 19:56  |  Rami 27/08/07
  36.   PA Security Forces, great job 20:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/08/07
  37.   Uplift Yisrael --- Let Them Do Their Own Propoganda 20:00  |  Yanatan 27/08/07
  38.   Chris Linthwaite, your comic-book version... 20:04  |  Akiva Patysh 27/08/07
  39.   re #5 `AD: Virgins wanted immediately. Militants are dying like f 20:06  |  Colin Wright 27/08/07
  40.   Who is protecting us?? 20:13  |  Omar 27/08/07
  41.   The Plan: Have Pals subjegate themselves while we build! 20:21  |  Ob1 27/08/07
  42.   rescue 20:29  |  ljf-canada 27/08/07
  43.   Congrats to the PA and IDF 20:33  |  Lynn 27/08/07
  44.   #22 LInthwaite 20:34  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  45.   Omar is confused 20:35  |  peter 27/08/07
  46.   # 18 Gaza MO 20:35  |  Lynn 27/08/07
  47.   PA 20:35  |  Edifice 27/08/07
  48.   # 29 Omar 20:38  |  Lynn 27/08/07
  49.   Great Work PA Security 20:40  |  Jane 27/08/07
  50.   Question: if Dutch falls in a forrest... 20:41  |  Richard S 27/08/07
  51.   Jeff Northridge 20:42  |  Lynn 27/08/07
  52.   You`re right, Rami #24 20:42  |  Polybios 27/08/07
  53.   Rescue of IDF officer 20:45  |  khader herzallah 27/08/07
  54.   #27-2 Linthwaite 20:45  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  55.   #28 Colin re: Virgins 20:47  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  56.   Idiots 20:48  |  Chaim 27/08/07
  57.   IDF SENSE MAKES NO SENSE... 20:50  |  Dutch 27/08/07
  58.   A `STAGED` RESCUE - TO SUPPORT A FAKE PEACE. 21:07  |  solly 27/08/07
  59.   more haaretz tendentious reporting 21:13  |  JS 27/08/07
  60.   We have seen this movie before.Hog wash 21:20  |  sam 27/08/07
  61.   Good 21:20  |  Elinor 27/08/07
  62.   For Dutch #19 21:33  |  Esther 27/08/07
  63.   That?s what authority is meant for 21:33  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  64.   re: Dutch 21:36  |  Efox 27/08/07
  65.   Solly in Miami 21:39  |  Omar 27/08/07
  66.   And SoThe Messiah Has Come? 21:40  |  Yoram 27/08/07
  67.   re: solly 21:41  |  Efox 27/08/07
  68.   All sarcasm aside I recently saw the movie `Munich` for the first 21:42  |  Apartheid 27/08/07
  69.   re: khader herzallah 21:45  |  Efox 27/08/07
  70.   Hands up 21:53  |  Clickfool 27/08/07
  71.   Dutch 21:54  |  Jay 27/08/07
  72.   Pals fleeing Gaza 22:02  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  73.   1.indrajaya and the Caliphate 22:08  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  74.   Lynn #39 22:11  |  Omar 27/08/07
  75.   10. indrajaya: fighting the fires 22:12  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  76.   To Omar # 30 22:12  |  Dolly 27/08/07
  77.   Jane in Florida 22:13  |  Omar 27/08/07
  78.   71 Jay. What a fine piece of thinking. You make Americans proud. 22:22  |  Apartheid 27/08/07
  79.   may the seeds of mutual understanding blossom. 22:30  |  bernard 27/08/07
  80.   Major Gaffe? 22:30  |  Ky 27/08/07
  81.   Dolly 22:32  |  Omar 27/08/07
  82.   Knee Jerk Reaction of Livni Just Like a Puppet 22:34  |  C.Lowne 27/08/07
  83.   Hmmm... 22:38  |  Erik 27/08/07
  84.   Silvienne: blinded by bias, cannot read! 22:49  |  Oscar 27/08/07
  85.   re #28 `no comments about saving...` 22:56  |  Colin Wright 27/08/07
  86.   to #58 `A `STAGED` RESCUE - TO SUPPORT A FAKE PEACE.` 23:03  |  Colin Wright 27/08/07
  87.   Omar 23:06  |  rich 27/08/07
  88.   7. Moise: pal terrorists attempting genocide 23:19  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  89.   #66: progress is progress 23:19  |  Paul Freedman 27/08/07
  90.   Response to # 70 Clickfool 23:19  |  shepherd 27/08/07
  91.   12 Stephen Murray: more pal terrorism 23:21  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  92.   #70: you know from fairy tales 23:22  |  Paul Freedman 27/08/07
  93.   None of you bashers 23:25  |  ChanahS 27/08/07
  94.   19. Silvienne: so what? 23:30  |  KUTW 27/08/07
  95.   21Silvienne re Moise 23:32  |  Jim 27/08/07
  96.   #86 Colin Wrong again 23:43  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  97.   #86-2 Colin Wrong Again 23:53  |  * BEN JABO 27/08/07
  98.   Dutch....if the shoe fits #29 23:56  |  SHIMON 27/08/07
  99.   #19 Silvienne 00:02  |  * BEN JABO 28/08/07
  100.   #23 Maurice 00:03  |  * BEN JABO 28/08/07
  101.   #10 Fight fires 00:10  |  howiej 28/08/07
  102.   Omar feel pawned? 00:15  |  Johnny 28/08/07
  103.   Omar from Ramallah 00:23  |  Johnny 28/08/07
  104.   # 31 In Mohameds view... 00:27  |  Misha 28/08/07
  105.   Palestinians are embarrassment to forefather Abraham 00:35  |  Lemmings Hotline 28/08/07
  106.   Bad news 01:09  |  indrajaya 28/08/07
  107.   IDF Officer 01:17  |  Darwish 28/08/07
  108.   Quisling is alive and well in the West Bank 01:23  |  Hannah 28/08/07
  109.   Dolly, Omar is one angry man..... 01:46  |  Barry 28/08/07
  110.   Very Good 02:13  |  Danite 28/08/07
  111.   rescue 02:54  |  alan 28/08/07
  112.   One lucky officer 03:20  |  TonyL 28/08/07
  113.   Livni For PM! 03:28  |  Yosemite 28/08/07
  114.   @32, chris, 76% reduction in military sales of UK to israel 03:28  |  vladimir 28/08/07
  115.   Good girl 03:45  |  jjvanka 28/08/07
  116.   105Hannah,greetings! The quisling is meeting with Olmie on 03:46  |  lakshmi 28/08/07
  117.   #22 Silvienne jumping over the Berlin wall 03:56  |  TomJ 28/08/07
  118.   PA Security 03:57  |  Nemesis 28/08/07
  119.   Rescue of IDF major proves Hamas`s strength 04:56  |  Joseph E . 28/08/07
  120.   idf not popular in the west bank 05:09  |  paulo2006 28/08/07
  121.   #39 Colin Wright 05:15  |  Murray of Montreal 28/08/07
  122.   More Kadima spin 05:18  |  Frank 28/08/07
  123.   #22 NO -SOUNDS like the border fence of... 05:41  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 28/08/07
  124.   #84, Oscar...where is your thanks to the PA? 06:33  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  125.   #85, Colin Wright 06:34  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  126.   #94, KUTW, I`ll tell you "so what".. 06:37  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  127.   #99, Ben Jabo... 06:46  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  128.   Ben Jabo... 06:52  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  129.   #117, TomJ, jumping over the wall 06:56  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  130.   #123, Jon Feigenbaum... 06:57  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  131.   Lakshmi, Hannah, regarding the quisling meeting 07:02  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  132.   Shimon, Two wrongs don`t make a right 07:29  |  Dutch 28/08/07
  133.   Shimon, Two wrongs don`t make a right 07:29  |  Dutch 28/08/07
  134.   #129Silvienne 08:59  |  TomJ 28/08/07
  135.   126. Silvienne: I`ll tell you "so what".. 09:25  |  KUTW 28/08/07
  136.   124Silvienne 10:20  |  gmfg 28/08/07
  137.   The good and the evil 11:34  |  Dav 28/08/07
  138.   #135, KUTW, thanks for telling me what I think, again... 18:17  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  139.   #136, gmfg 19:37  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  140.   #134, TomJ 19:40  |  Silvienne 28/08/07
  141.   #140..Silvienne 20:33  |  Nemesis 28/08/07
  142.   To #78 21:25  |  Jay 28/08/07
  143.   Haaretz 22:03  |  Nemesis 28/08/07
  144.   # 140Silvienne 22:18  |  TomJ 28/08/07
  145.   #138. Silvienne and # 139 22:26  |  TomJ 28/08/07
  146.   #68 Apartheid - another meaningless comment 00:48  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  147.   #78 Aparthied/Viper 00:51  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  148.   #127 Silvienne - I`ll give you a safe conduct pass 01:01  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  149.   #132 Daffy Dutch rides again 01:07  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  150.   #139 Silvienne 01:10  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  151.   #141 Nemesis re: Silvienne 01:13  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  152.   Thanks, Ben Jabo... 03:39  |  Silvienne 29/08/07
  153.   #152..Silvienne 06:31  |  Nemesis 29/08/07
  154.   #152 2ND TRY 18:13  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  155.   Ben Jabo, the email address was not mine 19:50  |  Silvienne 29/08/07
  156.   Ben Jabo, the email belongs to Gershon82 19:56  |  Silvienne 29/08/07
  157.   Nemesis 20:51  |  Silvienne 29/08/07
  158.   #157..Silvienne 21:43  |  Nemesis 29/08/07
  159.   Nemesis 22:13  |  Silvienne 29/08/07
  160.   #159...Silvienne 23:07  |  Nemesis 29/08/07
  161.   #155 Silvienne - You`re not aware 01:20  |  * BEN JABO 30/08/07
  162.   Ben Jabo, look at post #341 in this thread 02:39  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  163.   Ben jabo, #341, Gershon82 to Clickfool 02:42  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  164.   Ben Jabo, this will be for the last time 02:45  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  165.   Ben Jabo, read the email address in the post 03:14  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  166.   #162..Silvienne 04:01  |  Nemesis 30/08/07
  167.   Nemesis.... 05:21  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  168.   #162 Silvienne - the problem is 17:11  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/07
  169.   #167 Silvienne 2 Nemesis 17:12  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/07
  170.   Ben Jabo...let me get this right, now....? 17:50  |  Silvienne 31/08/07
  171.   Ben Jabo.....(speechless in Connecticut) 17:56  |  Silvienne 31/08/07
  172.   #170 Silvienne - Take the Valium 19:43  |  * BEN JABO 31/08/07
  173.   Ben Jabo, just because you`ve had to admit you were wrong... 20:40  |  Silvienne 31/08/07
  174.   Clickfool 20:55  |  Silvienne 31/08/07
  175.   #173 Silvienne 03:35  |  * BEN JABO 01/09/07
  176.   Silvienne - about the kids & more 19:08  |  * BEN JABO 02/09/07
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