Slight increase in security incidents along fence with Gaza

The number of security incidents boundary with the Gaza Strip increased in September, especially the number of attempted infiltrations into Israel and light-weapons fire at Israel Defense Forces soldiers and at workers on the security fence.

Sources in the army say that the increase is small and does not reflect a change in the policy of Hamas, which still wants continued quiet following the blow it received last January in Operation Cast Lead.

Up to September 25, there had been 14 incidents of light-weapons fire and six attempted infiltrations. Two explosive devices aimed at IDF forces had been detonated, and there were four cases in which the IDF discovered explosive devices set near the fence with Gaza. In comparison, during the entire month of August there were five incidents of light-weapons fire, two attempted infiltrations, one explosive device detonated and five devices set near the fence.

A senior officer in the Southern Command told Haaretz that the rise in the number of incidents stems from two, interrelated, factors. The first involves the increased motivation of extreme Islamic groups affiliated with Al-Qaida and Global Jihad following the raid by Hamas policemen on a mosque in Rafah about two months ago, during which more than 20 members of an extremist Muslim group were killed.

The smaller Palestinian militant groups have since increased their efforts to attack Israeli targets in defiance of Hamas. These groups were responsible for most of the attacks, although a larger, more established group, the Palestinian Global Jihad, was behind the last attempted major attack, which was thwarted when the Israel Air Force killed three men about to launch a rocket toward the Negev at the end of last week.

Most attempts by the Islamic organizations are attacks that are relatively simple to carry out, particularly shooting at workers repairing the security fence.

It seems that the second factor leading to a rise in incidents lies in IDF operations themselves. The IDF recently began initiating more actions west of the security fence, in Palestinian territory, with larger forces being sent in to disarm clusters of explosive devices set by Palestinian groups. Such incursions encounter increased opposition, and thus friction near the fence has risen.

However, the senior official stressed there had been no change in Hamas' interests, and that the months following Operation Cast Lead have been among the quietest along the boundary with Gaza in recent years.

The quiet can be seen, first and foremost, in the very small number of rockets that have been fired into Israel and in the greater sense of security among residents of the communities near the Strip. According to the officer, Hamas wants the quiet to continue, is working to restrain the smaller groups and is not seeking military confrontation with Israel at this time.