Middle East Terrorism Claims 7 Israeli Lives In Road Ambush Attack

Photo: Reuters

Jerusalem----March 12.....Arab Islamic terrorism claimed the lives of seven Israelis today as terrorists opened fire early this afternoon on Israeli vehicles. The cars were ambushed as they were traveling along Route 70 between Shlomi and Kibbutz Matzuva in the western Galilee near the Lebanese border.

Security forces killed two terrorists and are still searching for additional gunmen they suspect may be in the area. The two terrorists, who may have also fired hand grenades, were wearing IDF uniforms, Israel Radio reported. They apparently fired on the vehicles from a hill overlooking the highway.

Police had earlier ordered residents in the region and in Kiryat Shmona, some 40 kilometers east, to stay in their homes. As of 7 p.m., the IDF had given permission to residents of all neighborhoods except for Shlomi and Kibbutz Matzuva to leave their homes.

The IDF has lowered the regional alert level. It had earlier placed the entire border region east to Kiryat Shmona on high alert, and eyewitnesses described the area as a closed military zone. Security forces in Kiryat Shmona had also suspected an imminent attack there.

Eyewitness reports indicate a gun battle may have taken place in banana orchards just outside the kibbutz.
`"I saw a car zigzagging and I heard shooting and people got out of the cars and ran for cover,'' said the witness, identified only as Michael. He said he saw several people had been hurt, including a truck driver.

Police, large numbers of soldiers and a helicopter responded immediately to the attack, the witness said.

Israeli TV captured part of the gunbattle and the IDF's search for terrorists live from the Northern border.

A woman living in Shlomi told Israel radio army attack helicopters were passing overhead, shooting at the gunmen and local leaders were driving through the town urging residents to stay inside.

The woman, identified only as Fanny, had heard reports that the assailants had infiltrated from Lebanon. ``We have been worried that this might happen ever since the withdrawal from Lebanon.''

Israeli forces withdrew from an occupied zone of southern Lebanon in May 2000 in an unilateral move displaying good faith for the regional peace process.

The wounded were rushed to Nahariya Government Hospital, which opened an emergency hot line for those seeking information on those wounded in the attack: 125-5141. Overseas callers must first dial 972 before the above number.

Israel: The War Against Terrorism

Photo: AP

Israel is continuing in it's war against terrorism with several successful operations in the West Bank and Gaza.
Above, Israeli soldiers blindfold suspected terrorists, holding their ID cards and bags, before taking them to an occupied Palestinian stone-cutting factory on the outskirts of the Dheisheh refugee camp, near Bethlehem for interrogation.
The IDF is making mass arrests, very much in the same manner that the US responded after September 11th, which are necessary to stop would-be terrorists and suicide bombers from entering Israel.