IDF cutting anti-terror activity to support settlement freeze
Authorities are concerned that Palestinian terrorists could use the opportunity to launch attack.
By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Middle East peace Israel news settlement buildingIsrael Defense Forces troops operating in the West Bank have scaled back patrols and anti-terror operations in order to provide security to the government inspectors distributing construction freeze orders in the settlements.
In the two weeks since the freeze was introduced the army has taken pains to ensure that police and Border Police officers are the only security forces dealing with the settlers in this matter, including handling public disturbances, despite the fact that it is the IDF's Operations Branch that is responsible for it.
IDF soldiers have been called in to staff checkpoints and positions that are typically staffed by Border Police officers. Moreover, IDF troops have been sent to back up Border Police units dispatched to thwart retaliatory acts by settlers against Palestinians for the freeze (the so-called price tag policy). Authorities are concerned that Palestinian terrorists could use the opportunity to wage an attack.
"We're hardly doing any offensive operations actions or patrols beyond the minimum required," one officer said. "Nonetheless, we are now required to carry out many more missions than those originally planned for us."
Security forces are seeking to make it harder for West Bank local councils to carry out new construction, having decided to grant entry permits only to Palestinian construction workers employed at building sites approved by the Civil Administration.
Most settlement homes are built by Palestinian workers who need Civil Administration authorization to enter Jewish communities in the West Bank. The Civil Administration intends to instruct local councils and security officers to only grant authorization to those workers employed at sites where construction has been allowed despite the freeze.
Security dilemma
The Civil Administration's instructions have created a problem for security officers charged with patrolling settlements, as technically they are local council employees but they are paid by the Defense Ministry and often consult with the IDF operational brigades.
Last week the security officer of the Beit Aryeh local council participated in a protest against the construction freeze and used his security vehicle to block the inspectors' passage.
The commander of the regional brigade ordered the vehicle confiscated; the officer will be summoned to a hearing within several days.
Acting on government orders the security forces seek to present a united front over enforcement of the freeze. The new directives are being reported to representatives of the United States.
Since the building suspension was ordered Civil Administration inspectors have distributed freeze orders at more than 40 settlements and outposts. In most cases, settler resistance to the order was confined to the borders of the community, but in the past few days there have been a number of "price tag" retaliatory acts against Palestinians and their property. On Friday, a group of settlers from a settlement in the southern Hebron Hills attempted to attack on a Palestinian vehicle. They were dispersed by police officers on patrol nearby.
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An IDF soldier firing a tear gas canister at demonstrators in the West Bank. |
| Photo by: (AP) |
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activity? "Price Tags" and Settlement building may be the ultimate in "terrorism" being meted out on the Palestinians. It may be directed at Jews but its still ANTI-TERROR against extremists. Too bad they don't use a bigger stick and some bulldozers.....not holding my breath though...PEACE EVER?
can you tell me who order those ufos to go tripping with guns and tear gases out there like they dont poses an iq of 1? can you tell me who is in charge to send those anti-jewish israelite british masonic ufos out there?
to comment on the picture of this topic and racist israeli opressing people in the name of empire of opression? where are they? where are you hillary brown sharkozy puppets?
the land we hand over to the palestinians on the west bank is almost a sub-text. we have to have one armed force between the sea and the jordan river.nothing else is so important.we must control the whole region militarily.
terror first and always.we have performed very well indeed.let us keep it up.
"The freeze will end the PM`s political career sooner than later. Bibi is Obama`s yo-yo on a string. The people of Israel need to cut that string !" Please Do. We would welcome it. Just make sure all the strings are cut. I am all for a freeze on any assets being transferred from the USA to the settlements as well. Any funding should be considered aiding terrorism just as we did with the Palestinians. No money should be reaching either side for arms or the continuation of land theft.Settlers were receiving stolen funds from the likes of Jack Abramoff to purchase sniper rifles and night vision goggles courtesy of stolen money from the American people.
Terrorists allowed to roam freely and Jews being persecuted.
The freeze will end the PM's political career sooner than later. Bibi is Obama's yo-yo on a string. The people of Israel need to cut that string !
The mosque burning'll do just fine. Price tags are guaranteed to work. The settlers will blame the Shin Bet for making them look bad, the Shin Bet will blame the Palestinians, we will blame both the Palestinians and the settlers, the same old orchestra, the same old show.
that's what the idf is doing with announcement. why else would it tell "everyone" that it's ability to thwart terror attacks is suffering because of having to support the enforcement of the settlement freeze. and actually, it serves a dual purpose. one is to undermine support by causing people to question their security, and the other is to embolden would be terrorists into action, which would further harden public support against the freeze. lol...and rest assured, the idf isn't likely to have reduced its anti-terror activities; despite what it says.
this lunancy is based on inappropriate priorities, business as usual - G-d forbid a serious terror attack happens, then maybe they will re-think their priorities.
If the Pals attack while Israel enforces a freeze then why enforce the freeze at all? I am not for expanding the settlements beyond the ones that are deemed major and pretty much a given remaining in Israel possession. Why expend the resources when they can be better used reclaiming Green Line land from the Arabs? Acco, Galilee, and other areas under threat.
"The Civil Administration intends to instruct local councils and security officers to only grant authorization to those workers employed at sites where construction has been allowed despite the freeze." Maybe it's too hot in the Middle East and they do not know that 'freezing' actually means the opposite to 'thawing'. A freeze with a little thawing and thuggery here and there written on a price tag.
Are they ashamed of what they are doing? I suppose they are, since they are lugging around huge crayons, or something, ... oh, well.
This report is clearly intended to set up a circumstance where the first act of terrorism against Israel will justify dropping all efforts to pursue Israeli Settlers who terrorize Palestinians. It is a case of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Why not be honest and just announce that no serious effort will be made to find the Settlers responsible? Easy, because the whole effort is about propaganda, not justice. And propaganda requires that everyone be taught that the cost of pursuing Israeli terrorists is terrorism against Israel. Thus there must be no effort to protect Palestinians from Settlers. Q.E.D.
Can you feel it? Little by little Israel is retreating under pressure from Obama and from their own obsequious, corrupt leadership. Watch the state slowly disappear. The arabs are too unified and too cunning-they will wittle away at Israel like water on a stone, and the stupid Jews can't stand up to them. Wait..until the missiles fly again and nothing is done.