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A photo of Qassam rocket launchers in different stages of assembly found by the IDF in a Gaza Strip field. (IDF Spokesperson)
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Last update - 19:16 26/09/2007
IDF: Qassam rockets discovered in West Bank were not operational
By Mijal Grinberg and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

The two Qassam rockets found by Palestinian Authority security forces near Bethlehem on Wednesday were not operational, an Israel Defense Forces official said Wednesday.

Upon their discovery, the rockets were transferred to IDF inspectors who said that the rockets "looked more like a pile of pipes than rockets that are about to be launched."

An IDF official added that there is no evidence showing that the owners of the rockets had launching capabilities.

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PA forces who found the Qassam rockets said militants were intending to fire them on Jerusalem. It is unclear to whom the rockets belong, and the PA has launched an investigation.

Qassam rockets are regularly fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel, but the mostly rural nature of the western Negev region prevents massive casualties. Armed groups in the West Bank have never successfully carried out a rocket attack, which would be problematic for Israel, since the area is located near major population centers.

Ma'an, an independent Palestinian news agency, said that two rockets were found between the Aida refugee camp and the Beit Jala municipal building, in an area facing the Jewish neighborhood of Gilo in East Jerusalem. The words "God is great" were written on the rockets in Arabic.

Tawfiq Tarawi, head of PA intelligence, said the rockets were still in the early stage of production and had not yet been fitted with explosives.

"This is not the first time. Two months ago, we found similar rockets and we destroyed them," he said. "This is unacceptable. We will not allow anyone to use such missiles because he will be destroying the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian towns," he added, referring to an IDF military response a rocket attack would likely bring.

Tarawi would not say whether any arrests had been made. He also declined to say who built them, but said the weapons resembled the rockets developed by Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip.

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky said in response that that the "baseless discussions and slogans on dividing the capital of Israel and the Old City give motivation to extremists. The government of Israel must first guard the security and safety of the residents of Jerusalem."

The rockets are about one and a half meters in length and 20 millimeters in diameter.

In recent years, Palestinian militants have attempted to smuggle rockets into the West Bank. Roughly two years ago, the Islamic Jihad militant group fired five rockets in a failed attack from Jenin at the settlements of Ganim and Kadim, both of which were evacuated during the 2005 disengagement.

Several other attempts to develop Qassam rockets in the West Bank, with information from the Gaza Strip or Syria, have been thwarted, and rocket launchings have remained almost solely a Gaza phenomenon.

Meanwhile, nine rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip, including two that hit the rocket-weary town of Sderot. The rockets caused no injury or damage, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Also Wednesday, three Army of Islam militants were killed and two other Palestinians slightly wounded in two separate Israel Air Force strikes on the Gaza Strip.
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  1.   The Correct Term 09:02  |  Clickfool 26/09/07
  2.   Punishment for Iman Ziban 09:44  |  Mark 26/09/07
  3.   The Correct Term 10:30  |  Clickfool 26/09/07
  4.   lynching 10:50  |  zouzou 26/09/07
  5.   Creating hate 11:14  |  Jan Elshout 26/09/07
  6.   to #1 - The Correct Term 11:42  |  David 26/09/07
  7.   Who died and gave Israel the right to shut off passage? 11:49  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  8.   Clikfool,bloody opressor of Muslims 11:51  |  Absolute Sweden 26/09/07
  9.   #7 the hysterical doris and the reasons why never told 12:02  |  victor hardman 26/09/07
  10.   Dutch @ 7 12:07  |  David 26/09/07
  11.   Dutch,there is no way to deal with a lawless state except through 12:14  |  lakshmi 26/09/07
  12.   re: Clickfool 12:17  |  Efox 26/09/07
  13.   re: Dutch 12:19  |  Efox 26/09/07
  14.   re: Mark 12:22  |  Efox 26/09/07
  15.   ABBAS IS A COLABORATOR 12:33  |  indrajaya 26/09/07
  16.   Rights # 7 12:33  |  Lynn 26/09/07
  17.   lakshmi, looks like the effect of the "treatment" 13:34  |  Maven 26/09/07
  18.   Correct or incorrect, what matters is that we have the SOB 13:56  |  Dentist 26/09/07
  19.   jan elshout 14:15  |  Nephtaly 26/09/07
  20.   Israel should hand over its rockets 14:24  |  Tim 26/09/07
  21.   Dutch, we should all have that right 14:30  |  Nati 26/09/07
  22.   Clickfool, Dutch, Lakshmi, Indrajaya 14:39  |  Honest Observation 26/09/07
  23.   Lakshmi 11 15:03  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  24.   Congratulation on a job well done by PA security 15:08  |  Rami 26/09/07
  25.   Jan--rstrictions 15:11  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  26.   Dutch 7` 15:16  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  27.   Plz move us away from Gilo!!! 15:32  |  Barokh 26/09/07
  28.   Do not ignorte. 15:51  |  Vital 26/09/07
  29.   Olmert, Ramon, Livni... 16:04  |  eddie 26/09/07
  30.   I agree with Rami 16:05  |  Polybios 26/09/07
  31.   Clickfool asks.-I answer."By what right does Israel arrest?" 16:05  |  Vittorio 26/09/07
  32.   Depressing Scenario regarding Mart Ts comment 16:10  |  Nati 26/09/07
  33.   #19 Rami, What will make Israelis safe ... 16:10  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  34.   Jerusalem-Gilo. Olmert must go... 16:21  |  Polybios 26/09/07
  35.   To Polybios 16:21  |  Rami 26/09/07
  36.   #12 Efox - but it will take a while to match Begin 16:22  |  Rick 26/09/07
  37.   #33doris i have already given you the answer in this column 16:22  |  victor hardman 26/09/07
  38.   to dutch # 33 16:24  |  Rami 26/09/07
  39.   Dutch--law 16:26  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  40.   Qassams to IDF by PA - a good thing 16:32  |  Rick 26/09/07
  41.   Tim--trust 16:33  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  42.   Barak: Large scale Gaza operation soon 16:51  |  Jonathan S 26/09/07
  43.   #1 Clickfool and Correct Terms 17:02  |  MR 26/09/07
  44.   Lakshmi, I agee with you .... 17:12  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  45.   #1 ClickJerk 17:24  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/07
  46.   #5 Jan Elshout - Netherlands 17:26  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/07
  47.   #11 lakshmi - you`re just as 17:31  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/07
  48.   "Rockets discovered in W. Bank not operational" 17:36  |  simple truth 26/09/07
  49.   Rick 17:40  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  50.   Blind 17:42  |  Paul 26/09/07
  51.   Amnesiaacs 17:44  |  Paul 26/09/07
  52.   Rick Deir Yasin 17:45  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  53.   not operational... 17:48  |  Shmuelshachor 26/09/07
  54.   Dutch ripping off land-agreed 17:49  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  55.   Muslim peace isn`t other peace 17:50  |  Paul 26/09/07
  56.   Truth-48 17:56  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  57.   Dutch (#7) How are you to tell Israel how to control it?s border? 17:57  |  Gil 26/09/07
  58.   Truth 48 part 2 18:03  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  59.   Rami #35 18:03  |  Polybios 26/09/07
  60.   #39 Mark T Re Dutch`s law 18:25  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  61.   #39 Mart T, addendum --the settlements 18:30  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  62.   Westbank/Judea 19:05  |  Paul 26/09/07
  63.   Who wants to give them Judea and Samaria? 19:07  |  KUTW 26/09/07
  64.   Great photo of Qassam launchers 19:19  |  Clickfool 26/09/07
  65.   Dutch 60` 19:43  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  66.   #21 Nati, Security Officials should deal with the risks 19:59  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  67.   #57 Gil - Haifa 20:16  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/07
  68.   Dutch perhaps you should ask yourself 20:17  |  Alon Fisher 26/09/07
  69.   #63 ClikJerk 20:18  |  * BEN JABO 26/09/07
  70.   Dutch is this true are you Doris Cadigan? 20:41  |  Gil 26/09/07
  71.   64 Clickfool: Great photo of Qassam launchers 21:14  |  KUTW 26/09/07
  72.   Dutch crossings 21:24  |  Mark T 26/09/07
  73.   Dutch settleents 21:29  |  Mark t 26/09/07
  74.   Gil 57 21:33  |  MArk T 26/09/07
  75.   #64 Clickfool, Re: Israel`s Non threat to national security 22:21  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  76.   #70 Gil, My response 22:30  |  Dutch 26/09/07
  77.   Phony Quassems 22:45  |  EGW 26/09/07
  78.   Interesting photo 22:49  |  Mark Lincoln 26/09/07
  79.   Not `rocket science` 22:53  |  Mark Lincoln 26/09/07
  80.   look what these thugs are getting away with? 23:06  |  jerry 26/09/07
  81.   israel border !! Efox 23:09  |  carole 26/09/07
  82.   Nobody died, the UN still lves 23:17  |  MaryRose 26/09/07
  83.   Mark Lincoln isn`t it fun for you? 23:19  |  Jasmine Murphy 26/09/07
  84.   re: Rick 23:54  |  Efox 26/09/07
  85.   Dutch`s question 00:05  |  Inigo Montoya 27/09/07
  86.   Interesting development! 00:14  |  Dutch Dirk 27/09/07
  87.   Nice summary Inigo 00:39  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  88.   the loathsome mark lincoln and his gibes 00:58  |  judah 27/09/07
  89.   mark lincoln laughs at israel 01:02  |  judah 27/09/07
  90.   mark lincoln taunts us "quick ehud more roadblocks" 01:04  |  judah 27/09/07
  91.   lakshmi incites against israel 01:09  |  freekashmir 27/09/07
  92.   Carole...Carole Carole 01:36  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  93.   Carole part 2 01:39  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  94.   #31 Vittorio misses a rather important point 01:41  |  Johnboy 27/09/07
  95.   Mary 82 01:43  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  96.   paul.... 03:57  |  maria 27/09/07
  97.   Judah - I offer sound advice 04:20  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  98.   Jasmine Murphy 04:25  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  99.   To Judah - the coward 04:29  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  100.   To those that think I an am enemy of Israel 04:34  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  101.   70 GIL 04:39  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  102.   PUSH THEM BACK 04:46  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  103.   Lincoln you`re more of a fool than a coward 04:49  |  Lion 27/09/07
  104.   FEIGENBAUM - a simple question 05:35  |  spyguy 27/09/07
  105.   LINCOLN THE NUT 05:40  |  JION FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  106.   #22, Honest Observation... 05:55  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  107.   #64, Clickfool... 05:58  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  108.   #71, KUTW... 06:00  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  109.   88 JUDAH 06:02  |  J.J. doring 27/09/07
  110.   #70, Gil... 06:02  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  111.   #76, Dutch... 06:04  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  112.   #79, mark Lincoln... 06:05  |  Silvienne... 27/09/07
  113.   #88, Judah... 06:08  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  114.   #89, Judah... 06:10  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  115.   #99, Mark Lincoln... 06:12  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  116.   #103, Lion from Israel...nice name there... 06:14  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  117.   #101, Jon Feigenbaum 06:19  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  118.   88 Judah sorry for the errors 06:26  |  J.J. Doring 27/09/07
  119.   shrill Silvienne defending pointless Mark 07:53  |  Lion 27/09/07
  120.   108. Silvienne, the song they have not killed in a long time 08:25  |  KUTW 27/09/07
  121.   #110 silvienne proves to be a bigger idiot than doris 08:44  |  victor hardman 27/09/07
  122.   110. Silvienne: " Dutch arguments" 09:56  |  KUTW 27/09/07
  123.   Clickfool # 1 and # 3 are fake 09:57  |  Clickfool 27/09/07
  124.   For Mark Lincoln # 78 10:00  |  Clickfool 27/09/07
  125.   For Judah # 88 10:02  |  Clickfool 27/09/07
  126.   It could be Israeli settlers who put them 10:47  |  Tamir Palestine 27/09/07
  127.   I think it would have been wonderful 11:53  |  David Teich 27/09/07
  128.   Silvienne POSTING NAME 12:03  |  Gil 27/09/07
  129.   Silvienne`s spam machine going full bore again 12:06  |  David Teich 27/09/07
  130.   100: Mark`s calling others "idiots"? Truly funny 12:18  |  David Teich 27/09/07
  131.   SILVINNE 12:40  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  132.   TAMIR 126 13:31  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  133.   The`ll just make more ... 13:49  |  spyguy 27/09/07
  134.   Tamir Kassams 14:13  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  135.   David Dome 14:14  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  136.   Silvienne-#106 14:24  |  Honest Observation 27/09/07
  137.   Spy-misiles 14:36  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  138.   144 SPYGUY THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT 14:37  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 27/09/07
  139.   Spyguy 2 14:38  |  Mark T 27/09/07
  140.   #78 2ND TRY Lincoln 15:05  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  141.   #100 Lincoln - consider this 15:09  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  142.   Lion 15:14  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  143.   mark lincoln "i live at 6605 neff street" 15:16  |  judah 27/09/07
  144.   mark lincoln "we too suffered racism in ireland" 15:22  |  judah 27/09/07
  145.   mark lincoln "rockets from the west bank would reach all israel" 15:26  |  judah 27/09/07
  146.   Mark T - you have no idea what I know. 15:41  |  spyguy 27/09/07
  147.   spyguy the coward doesn`t get it 15:59  |  peter 27/09/07
  148.   re: carole 17:25  |  Efox 27/09/07
  149.   Mark T Shirt 17:28  |  Tamir Palestine 27/09/07
  150.   Raise the wall 17:33  |  Paul 27/09/07
  151.   It says those who are in Judea! 17:35  |  Paul 27/09/07
  152.   censoring 17:42  |  Paul 27/09/07
  153.   Jon Orlando Abbas is not fool to let Hamas gain everything 18:05  |  Tamir Palestine 27/09/07
  154.   #111 Silvienne thanks... 18:22  |  Dutch 27/09/07
  155.   Probably mock rockets 19:30  |  Tosefta 27/09/07
  156.   Anti-Christ according to Daniyal8 19:42  |  Paul 27/09/07
  157.   #128, Gil... 20:05  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  158.   #136, Honest Observation... 20:06  |  Silvienne 27/09/07
  159.   re: Tamir Palestine 21:01  |  Efox 27/09/07
  160.   in his brain 21:18  |  Paul 27/09/07
  161.   But they are at,the borders! 21:20  |  Paul 27/09/07
  162.   Arab anger 21:26  |  Paul 27/09/07
  163.   My Daniyal research proves pastors are? 21:29  |  Paul 27/09/07
  164.   What a bunch of Idiots 21:39  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  165.   For Gil, on Doris Cardigan # 70 21:40  |  Clickfool 27/09/07
  166.   Tosefta - I would bet on option 2 21:43  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/07
  167.   Tosefta how perceptive 21:52  |  Jasmine Murphy 27/09/07
  168.   Silvienne-# 158 22:02  |  Honest Observation 27/09/07
  169.   For Paul on the Book of Daniel 8 22:08  |  Clickfool 27/09/07
  170.   #165 the brave yelllow streak and doris cadigan of natick 22:15  |  victor hardman 27/09/07
  171.   Dutch and Qassams 22:17  |  Gil 27/09/07
  172.   Oh..not operational. Maybe next they are not rockets either 22:19  |  Tim 27/09/07
  173.   My choice too (Mark Lincoln #166) 22:39  |  Tosefta 27/09/07
  174.   mocking tveira and option three on rockets picture 23:17  |  saatchi gallery 27/09/07
  175.   #20 Tim - I agree 23:21  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  176.   #155 Tosefta - you really are a tosefet 23:27  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  177.   #158 Silvienne 23:29  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  178.   #172 Tim - Toronto 23:31  |  * BEN JABO 27/09/07
  179.   NOBODY NOTICED 00:31  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/09/07
  180.   I did notice something about the launchers - Tosefta 00:46  |  Mark Lincoln 28/09/07
  181.   #7 To dutch who is really a muslim... 01:19  |  John Allen 28/09/07
  182.   #21 Nati. You are in our prayers. 01:28  |  John Allen 28/09/07
  183.   Tosefta # 166 Propaganda 01:45  |  American in NY 28/09/07
  184.   #49 Mark T - I agree, but major 01:58  |  Rick 28/09/07
  185.   I don`t believe that Clickfool is # 123, but # 1 and 3 02:39  |  Correct Term 28/09/07
  186.   Bush`s wisdom on Slowman`s education 04:33  |  Yuval Azoulay 28/09/07
  187.   #67, Ben Jabo... 05:31  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  188.   #80, Jerry... 05:35  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  189.   #119, Lion, you are missing the point... 05:42  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  190.   #121, Oh, come on, Victor Hardman!!! 05:43  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  191.   #122, KUTW... 05:46  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  192.   Jon Feigenbaum 05:49  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  193.   #141, Ben Jabo... 05:54  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  194.   Spyguy... 05:58  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  195.   The picture caption was changed (Mark Lincoln#180; American #183) 06:03  |  Tosefta 28/09/07
  196.   #154, Dutch... 06:05  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  197.   #155, Tosefta... 06:07  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  198.   #168, Silvienne 06:20  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  199.   #171, Gil... 06:22  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  200.   #175, Ben Jabo...to Tim 06:24  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  201.   #174, saatchi gallery.. 06:27  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  202.   #177, Ben Jabo... 06:32  |  Silvienne 28/09/07
  203.   #190 silvienn why do you persist in protection 06:43  |  victor hardman 28/09/07
  204.   For "Correct Term", on Fake Clickfool # 185 09:15  |  Clickfool 28/09/07
  205.   For Victor Hardman # 170 09:19  |  Clickfool 28/09/07
  206.   #205 the jokes on you yellow streak 11:02  |  victor hardman 28/09/07
  207.   79# Mark Lincoln lost his English Dictionary. 11:29  |  Akram Zekaria 28/09/07
  208.   #187 Silvienne 05:56  |  * BEN JABO 29/09/07
  209.   #202 Silvienne 06:00  |  * BEN JABO 29/09/07
  210.   97: No, Lincoln, you just offer sound (2nd try) 18:53  |  David Teich 29/09/07
  211.   Notice Silvienne, so many words needed to (2nd try) 22:55  |  David Teich 29/09/07
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