Israel Defense Forces Ease Restrictions In West Bank

By Israel News Agency Staff

Jerusalem ---- January 1, 2007..... The following was partly communicated by the Israel Defense Forces to the Israel News Agency.

In a consistent, respectful and sensitive attempt to provide increased humanitarian conditions and following the directives of the Israel Minister of Defense as part of the political echelon's policy to ease restrictions on the Palestinian population, the IDF's Central Command has prepared for the implementation of easements.

The easing of restrictions for Palestinians comes during the Muslim holiday of Eid el Adha.

The Israel Defense Forces states that they will create maximal easing of the checking of goods and the services provided to the Palestinian population.

The IDF will facilitate the ease of movement of Palestinians between Palestine villages and the cities.

Easements of IDF security checks of the Palestinian population in the different crossings.

The IDF and the Israel Civil Administration for the territories will build interchanges that will allow a better flow of movement of Palestinian vehicles.

The IDF spokesperson office states today that they will make every effort to maintain the comfort of daily life of the Palestinian population while using all means at its disposal to act against terrorists in order to protect the citizens of Israel.

Israel Defense Minister Amir Peretz , who led the plan, made it clear in the past few days that there was no conflict of interests between the IDF's war on terror and the desire to improve the civilian population's quality of life.

IDF officials admitted that the change would be well felt in the field, but added that the chance that terror elements would take advantage of the gestures to carry out terror attacks would increase.

In the past, after almost every major IDF ease of restrictions at security checkpoints in the West Bank terror attacks claiming the lives of innocent Israelis took place. The Israel government believes that Palestine President Mohammed Abbas is now making increased efforts to cooperate with both the Israel and US governments in creating a better atmosphere for peace.

This is evidenced by the deputy leader of al-Qaeda on Saturday accusing moderate Arab leaders of being traitors for cooperating with the United States in an audio taped greeting marking the Islamic holiday. Ayman a-Zawahri's wished the Palestinian people a happy Eid al-Adha but lashed out at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement.

"Those who had sold Palestine, the secular traitors, can not be your brothers. Do not recognize their legitimacy... and don't sit with them ... and do not sign with them the documents that will make you lose Palestine," said a-Zawahri in the 15-minute audiotape posted on a Web site commonly used by Islamic insurgents.

A-Zawahri did not mention Saddam Hussein's execution in the tape, suggesting it was made before the ousted leader's hanging on Saturday. The No. 2 al-Qaeda leader denounced US ally Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in an apparent reference to recent arrests and detentions of several members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. "I greet my brothers inside the prisons of Mubarak, the traitor," he said. A-Zawahri also extended his Eid greeting to Iraq, praising the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, and urged Muslims in Somalia, Chechnya, Indonesia, the Philippines and Algeria to keep on fighting the "infidels and crusaders."

In any case, the IDF is not expected to reduce its forces stationed at the crossings. "This is a period in which we will be on high alert, and each unusual incident will of course lead to a renewed examination of the issue," a source clarified. "The intelligence aspect will have an important part in the prevention of terror attacks and any information received will affect what happens."

In several Israel border cities and towns one can witness an almost dramatic increase of Palestinians mingling among Israelis in shopping centers and restaurants. The average person from Palestine knows that it is the radical, terrorist elements within their own society who have been responsible for destroying their economy.

"It is difficult for us to speak out in many of our villages and towns," said one Palestinian women who was visiting a child play center in Israel. "We make every effort to keep Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah out of our towns. They say that they represent me, but murdering Israeli children is not an act for which I would support. These people are crazy and the ordinary Palestinian family has been paying a high price."

Almost on a daily basis, the Israel Defense Forces have captured Islamic terrorists at IDF security checkpoints in both the West Bank and Gaza attempting to smuggle both weapons and explosives into Israel.

On December 29, 2005, Lt. Ori Binamo, 21, of Nesher was killed when a terrorist en route to carry out an attack in Israel detonated himself at roadblock set up near Tulkarm following an intelligence tip. A second intended suicide terrorist was also killed in the blast as well as the taxi driver and a third passenger. Three soldiers and seven Palestinians were wounded.

On Jan 19, 2006, 31 people were wounded in a terror suicide bombing in a shawarma restaurant near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv. The Jerusalem Battalions of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

On March 30, 2006, four people were murdered when a Palestine suicide bomber hitchhiker disguised as an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva student detonated his explosive device in a private vehicle near the entrance to Kedumim.

On April 17, 2006, 11 people were killed and over 60 wounded in a terror suicide bombing during the Passover holiday near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, at the Rosh Ha'ir shawarma restaurant, site of the Jan 19 bombing. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the terror attack on Israel.