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Israel Tightens Security After "Terror" Warning
Israel tightened security Friday in the north and some areas near Jerusalem after receiving constant warnings of "terrorist attacks" in the areas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have maintained closures on the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Qalqilya and Bethlehem Friday, after receiving intelligence indications that "a terrorist attack" would emanate from these areas.
Traffic was disrupted in Ramallah, and there were reports that Israeli soldiers dug trenches around Qalqilya. A shooting attack on the IDF occurred early Friday morning near Qalqilya, damaging an IDF jeep but causing no injuries, Army Radio reported.
Major General Ya'akov Borovski, northern district police commander, said on Friday that Israeli security forces continued to receive warnings of "a planned terrorist attack" on northern Israel.
In the north, meanwhile, roadblocks were erected up, especially around Haifa, apparently following reports that a suicide bomber was en route. In the Galilee area, police posted at manned temporary checkpoints Thursday morning after intelligence reports indicated that "a terrorist unit" was planning an attack.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) have recently announced that 14 suicide bombers are prepared to carry out attacks on Israeli targets, and some of them are already inside Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in a phone conversation Thursday with U.S. President George W. Bush that he will not escalate the situation with the Palestinians, "or lead the region to war,"
But he added that Israel will "continue to take preventive actions against those who intend on planning, aiding, and carrying out terrorist actions in Israel."
The nearly 11-month-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has recently been in a danger of getting into a spiral of violence, especially since the deadly suicide bombing in Jerusalem last week, which killed 16 people, including the bomber, last week.
So far, nearly 700 persons, mostly Palestinians, have been killed since last September.
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