PA transfers 17 bombs to IDF

Palestinian security forces uncover explosive devices near Tulkarem, hand them over to Israel where they are detonated. IDF official says cooperation with PA security helps maintain high level of calm

Hanan Greenberg
YNET News
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3874140,00.html

Cooperation between Israel and Palestinian Authority: Over the weekend, Palestinian security forces transferred to the Israel Defense Forces 17 explosive devices in various sizes uncovered during activity around Tulkarem. The explosives found include pipe bombs and more complex devices intended for terror attacks. The explosives were detonated by a military sapper. The incident joins a serious of cases in which Palestinian security forces uncovered weapons and transferred them to the IDF. Recently, the Palestinians uncovered near Nablus a powerful bomb weighing over 20 kilograms connected to a gas balloon and transferred it to the IDF.


This attests to the good coordination between the Palestinian security forces and the IDF. A military official commenting on the situation in the West Bank said such cooperation "secures a higher level of calm".


Nonetheless, it seems Hezbollah and the Hamas leadership abroad are trying to ignite the region by attempting to carry out terror attacks from within the West Bank.


Since Hezbollah fears a flare up in south Lebanon, and Hamas is in no rush for another confrontation in the Gaza Strip, both parties consider the West Bank a legitimate "playing field."


According to the military source, the IDF forces' daily activity is what foils attempts to launch terror attacks from within the West Bank.


But vigilance remains high. Central Command Chief Major-General Avi Mizrahi ordered the forces to maintain a high level of preparedness despite the relative calm and the terror organization's failure to carry out serious attacks.


In a conference last week Mizrahi outlined to commanders to be tasked with leading operational activity in the West Bank their main mission – to protect the residents and foil attacks. He said this should be done with caution, and that in any instances where there is no immediate threat to the forces, an effort should be made to end the incident without casualties.