[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Katz - On Monday, IDF troops began dismantling the Rimonim checkpoint near Kochav Hashahar in the West Bank. Less than five hours later, and 15 kilometers away, a Palestinian tried to stab hitchhikers near Shilo. The sequence of events demonstrates the risks involved in altering the tight security envelope the IDF has created in the West Bank. From a military perspective, the checkpoints are a crucial tool in the war against terror, with troops catching Palestinians on a daily basis trying to cross them carrying weapons or explosives. As demonstrated by the list of gestures that Defense Minister Barak presented Secretary of State Rice with on Sunday, Israel's primary objective is to bolster Mahmoud Abbas and his government in Ramallah. But bolstering Abbas comes with a degree of danger. The lifting of roadblocks will allow Palestinians to travel on roads they did not have access to in the past. Weapons smuggling will most likely increase, and there is a fear in the IDF that drive-by shootings will as well.
2008-04-01 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive