Reserve unit seizes eight Kassam-2 rockets
By Arieh O'Sullivan
TEL AVIV (February 7) - Eight Kassam-2 rockets were seized by the IDF north of Nablus yesterday. They were probably meant to be fired on Afula and Jezreel Valley settlements, military sources said.
The IDF believes the Palestinians have already succeeded in smuggling rockets into Tulkarm and Kalkilya, which theoretically puts Hadera, Kfar Saba, and other cities in the Sharon under threat.
The IDF has suspected for some time that Hamas, aided by Fatah activists, has been able to produce Kassam rockets in the West Bank. But the capture was the first time the rockets have been captured.
Troops from a reserve unit stopped a truck at a surprise roadblock near Ein Bidan, north of Nablus, in an area under Israeli security control. Hidden in flour sacks among the crates of fruits and vegetables were eight Kassam-2 rockets, complete with warheads and launchers.
A reserve armored company, commanded by Maj. Segev Baram, a teacher, commandeered the truck and drove it out of the area, as Palestinians opened fire and crowds stoned the truck. According to Palestinian reports, reconnaissance drones were seen in the area before and during the raid.
Military officials said the rockets were to have been delivered to Hamas activists in the Jenin refugee camp. The driver was arrested, IDF officers said.
The IDF later displayed the rockets to reporters.
While Hamas has used Kassam rockets for some time in the Gaza Strip, this is the first time they have been seen in the West Bank. The Palestinians are also believed to have a limited number of mortars in the West Bank.
According to the IDF, the 120mm Kassam-2 has a range of 10 to 12 kilometers and carries a four to six kilogram warhead.
"If this warhead hit a crowded civilian area, it would caused many casualties," said OC Judea and Samaria Brig.-Gen. Gershon Yitzhak.
"For some time, we have been witness to increasing attempts by Hamas and other groups, apparently with backing from the Palestinian Authority, to bring Kassam rockets to Jenin, Tulkarm, and Kalkilya to directly threaten Israeli population centers," Yitzhak told reporters.
Israel has warned that it would severely retaliate for any use of the rockets.
The IDF has known about the existence of the rockets in Nablus for some time. This is one of the reasons Nablus has been under tight blockade for weeks, a senior military source said.
The capture was further proof Nablus is the main Hamas bomb and weapons producing center.
"The rockets were made in Nablus," Yitzhak said.
He also said the capture was the result of "routine operations" and the reservists chanced upon the truck.
"The Palestinian Authority is not doing its part to neutralize the terror or taking any real steps to prevent the violence in the territories," Yitzhak said.
"There are increasing attempts to carry out shootings and bombings whose aim is to threaten cities inside the Green Line and Jerusalem. This is further proof, in addition to the Karine A, the PA is doing nothing to stop the murderous actions."
Meanwhile, a Border Police force sweeping the area around Netzer Hazani in Gush Katif found remnants of a rocket fired a day before.
Military sources said they initially thought it was probably from a new kind of rocket developed by the Fatah Tanzim and test fired on Tuesday.
But later they said it was a Kassam-1.
The Tanzim released footage of its new rockets, dubbed Aksa-1 and Aksa-2, which showed them being fired at Gush Katif. The Tanzim said they are more powerful and have a greater range than Hamas's Kassams. |
