Wide-Ranging IDF Counter-terrorism Operation in Shechem

(IsraelNN.com) Thousands of Palestinian Authority Arabs were placed under curfew in the terrorist stronghold of Shechem Sunday morning, according to security sources.

Some 50,000 residents are under curfew, the main entrance to the city has been sealed off and IDF officials say the operation will not end until anti-terrorist objectives are achieved.

Security sources have repeatedly reported that Shechem operates as a central terrorist training, arming and launch center for attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers..

IDF Captures Shechem School, Says PA Sources

(IsraelNN.com) IDF soldiers captured a school in the terrorist stronghold of Shechem in its search for eight members of the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, a military group sponsored by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction.

PA sources said the soldiers were questioning local residents in the city in their search for the eight terrorists.

A curfew has been slapped on the 50,000 residents of the city and the main entrance to the community has been sealed off in a major counter-terrorism operation which began Sunday. The operation was initiated after Saturday’s discovery of a large bomb-making factory in the city.

Explosives Factory Discovered in Shechem Casbah

(IsraelNN.com) For the second straight day, IDF counter-terrorist forces discovered an explosives factory Sunday afternoon in the casbah (enclosed open-air market) of the Palestinian Authority city of Shechem, a major terrorist stronghold.

Forces found five pipe bombs, one large bomb, four bags of fertilizer (used for producing explosives), two pipe bombs and a missile.

Soldiers are continuing operations in the city, prompted by a similar find on Saturday. The stated objective of the army is to eliminate terrorist threats that have constantly emanated from the PA city.

Arabs: Shechem Looks Like Military Camp

(IsraelNN.com) More than 60 Israeli military vehicles and several bulldozers imposed a curfew on Shechem Sunday, according to an Arab report. Ma'an news agency quotes Arab sources that said the large IDF force focused on the old city of Shechem, and particularly Al Yasameen neighborhood. "The city resembles a military camp," the sources said.

Ma'an also reports Israeli soldiers distributed lists of wanted men in the city, lay siege to a house and arrested six citizens, four of whom are relatives. The arrests took place in Rafidia, west of the city. Ma'an says the IDF is looking for Mahdi Abu Ghazala, Ammar Akkoub, Sufian Qandeel, Amin Libbada, Abdulrahman Shinnawi and Mahdi Akkoub.

You know on Monday the world including Condi Rice are going to condemn Israel for this act of self defense.