Not expecting any credit to be given:Shechem Crossings Operate Round the Clock

Hana Levi
A7 News

The Hawara and Barrel crossings into the Palestinian Authority, both located near the PA-controlled Samarian city of Shechem, have begun round-the-clock operation, according to the IDF Spokesperson. The two crossings join the Atzira a-Shamalia checkpoint that began to operate 24 hours a day, effective last week, further easing movement in the area.

The measure was taken as part of the “goodwill” gestures to the PA negotiated during the Olmert administration. It was authorized following meetings held between the OC Central Command Major-General Gadi Shamni, the head of the Judea-Samaria division, Brigadier-General Noam Tibon, the head of the Civil Administration, Brigadier-General Yoav Mordechai, and officials in the Palestinian Authority.

As the crossings were opened to round-the-clock traffic, PA terrorists attacked an IDF unit Saturday near the city of Kalkilye, also located in Samaria. However, the bomb hurled at the force did not explode, and the soldiers were unhurt. IDF sappers safely destroyed the bomb.

Late Saturday night, IDF troops arrested four wanted terror suspects in Samaria during counterterrorism operations. The four were arrested in Jelizone, north of the PA city of Ramallah, near the Jewish town of Beit El.

Two other suspects were rounded up south of Jerusalem, in the Judean city of Hevron. All six were transferred to security personnel for investigation by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). A few hours earlier, a group of Arab men hurled a firebomb at Border Police officers near the Judean village of Abu Dis, next to Jerusalem. The officers were not injured in the attack.

Border Police also disarmed and arrested a terrorist earlier in the day who was trying to enter the Jewish neighborhood of Hevron. The officers confiscated a knife after searching the would-be attacker, who was a local Arab resident. He was taken into custody.