[Ha'aretz] Amos Harel - The director of the Shin Bet security service, Yuval Diskin, said Monday the central problem facing Israel in the West Bank and Gaza is the crumbling of the PA's governmental control. Gaza in particular has seen "disintegration and a return to the clan stage. There is more clan loyalty today than organizational loyalty." He said the fact that senior Fatah figures in Gaza understand their situation as a war of survival has instilled a spirit of fighting among their members. Diskin said the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egypt border has become "one big rabbit tunnel." Hamas in 2006 smuggled more than 30 tons of explosive materials from Sinai to Gaza, compared to five tons in 2005 and less than a ton in 2004. He said that since Israel's disengagement from Gaza, terror organizations there have gained significant capability. He also warned that the number of Palestinians traveling abroad and undergoing paramilitary training, especially in Iran, is troubling.
2007-02-06 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive