Four PA Arabs were arrested, four others were killed and four soldiers were lightly hurt Thursday when IDF troops sought to arrest a wanted terrorist. In Bethlehem, a similar operation succeeded. An IDF spokeswoman said that the wanted PA terrorist in Ramallah escaped capture. The operation was the largest in Ramallah, the seat of the PA's governing bodies, since last May. Similar operations to arrest terrorists, however, take place routinely in other areas of Judea and Samaria, though usually with less dramatic results.
For instance, a similar operation took place in Bethlehem at approximately the same time. An IDF force made straight for the Fatah terrorist's house and surrounded it; when he opened fire, the soldiers returned fire, wounding him, and then made the arrest. The wounded terrorist was first taken to an Israeli hospital for treatment, however. He is wanted for involvement in shooting attacks, recruitment of other terrorists, bomb-making and weapons smuggling.
In Ramallah, however, things did not work out as well. The special undercover force initially sent to apprehend wanted PA terrorists in the city called in a backup unit for support and additional firepower as the clash with enemy gunmen developed. Heavy armored vehicles were deployed as IDF forces exchanged intense fire with the PA forces in central Ramallah, leading to the deaths of the four PA residents. At least 20 other people were injured in the crossfire and PA sources said that two of the injured were journalists.
Saeb Erekat, senior PA negotiator and top aide to PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the operation and its timing, several hours before a scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "Such incursions and such Israeli policies are absolutely undermining such efforts," he told the Al-Jazeera television network.
Abbas harshly condemned the IDF operation as well, saying it "proved that the Israeli calls for peace and security are false." In fact, however, the operations - a daily affair - are designed to prevent terrorist attacks and thus maintain peace and security.
In a statement released to the press, Abbas appealed to the international community to rein in Israel and demanded US$5 million as compensation for damages sustained by Ramallah residents during the clash.
Speaking in Sharm El-Sheikh, following a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel regrets the deaths of innocent civilians, but emphasized the importance of such actions.
"It must be remembered," Olmert noted, "that Israel must take measures to prevent terrorists from harming Israeli civilians. The operation today was aimed at arresting a terrorist who has harmed innocent people. During the operation, Israeli soldiers came under fire and, to my regret, things developed not as originally planned and people were hurt even though they were not involved. It was not our intention, nor our desire."
On Friday, an IDF force arrested two wanted Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Tul Karem region, east of Netanya.