Friday, November 25, 2005

THOSE PESKY CHECKPOINTS

Palestinian Arrested at Checkpoint with Guns, Explosives - Efrat Weiss
A Palestinian carrying guns and explosive devices was nabbed Thursday at the Hawara checkpoint, south of the West Bank town of Nablus. In the past two months, the IDF has thwarted more than 17 attempts to smuggle weapons through the checkpoint. Pvt. Gal Zavatsky described the incident: "I stood next to the metal detector at the checkpoint. A 16-year-old Palestinian arrived, looking frightened. He approached me, carrying a bag which looked like a school bag....I opened one of the zippers and saw two improvised pipe bombs. I became suspicious, opened the other zipper and found two improvised handguns."

This is the third time that Zavatsky has thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons through the Hawara checkpoint. "The first time, a Palestinian tried to smuggle five improvised explosive devices, and the second time a Palestinian tried to smuggle an IDF mortar shell." "I live in Tel Aviv, and when I am here doing my job together with all my friends, I know that my family in Tel Aviv can live in peace," he said. (Ynet News)

IDF Thwarts Arms Smuggling Across Egypt-Israel Border - Margot Dudkevitch
The army revealed Thursday that Border Police and IDF forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle arms from Egypt into Israel. Security forces spotted three suspects crossing the border near Mount Sagi, and searching the area uncovered three sacks containing 15 Kalachnikov rifles and 15 ammunition clips. Since the beginning of the year security forces have captured 138 rifles near the Israeli-Egyptian border. (Jerusalem Post)

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