Saturday, June 9, 2007
Arab terrorists have attacked Israeli troops seeking, and failing, to capture one. There has been some confusion in the early reports as to whether the vehicle they used was disguised as a UN vehicle, an IDF vehicle or something else. A local Solomonia source who has seen the vehicle personally assures me the vehicle was a white Land Rover-type typically used by the UN or media and marked "TV" on the side, in spite of the Al Aqsa representative's insistence that it was marked with UN markings.
I await condemnation from the boobs at places like Lightstalkers and elsewhere for this event that clearly puts journalists further at risk. Why did the group get so far into Israel? Because the Israelis probably hesitated to shoot a vehicle so marked.
Palestinian gunmen break through to Israel
Palestinian gunmen broke through Israel's border fortifications around Gaza on early Saturday afternoon and exchanged fire with Israeli troops inside Israel, the military said. The attack took place after the gunmen entered an unmanned IDF outpost at Kissufim crossing between central Gaza and Israel.
Army officials believe that the gunmen intended to kidnap an Israeli soldier, and that this was why they came so close to the army outpost. The terror cell was well-equipped and armed, a fact indicating it has thoroughly prepared for the operation.
Four gunmen, from the al-Quds Brigades - the military wing of Islamic Jihad - and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades - Fatah's military wing, were responsible for the attack. According to the Palestinians, some of the gunmen escaped during the gunbattle, and two were still inside the post, one of them dead.
However, according to military sources, three gunmen were killed before and during the gunfight, and the fourth escaped.
Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, told local radio stations that the four gunmen were meant to snatch a soldier but the attempt was foiled when Israeli helicopter gunships arrived on the scene.
“The aim of the operation was to withdraw with the soldier in captivity,†he said, “but the participation of Israeli helicopters prevented that.â€
IDF sources reported that look-outs identified a vehicle marked with "TV" insignia approaching the crossing from the Palestinian side of the fence. According to the sources, the Palestinians made an opening in the fence and infiltrated Israeli territory...
