Gary Fitleberg, December 30, 2004

Those who criticize Israel’s "tough on terrorism" policy should think twice.

Follow my advice. The building of a separation barrier and security fence against terrorism and the "targeted assassinations" against terrorist organizations and terrorists have proven successful during the last year.

One hundred and eighteen Israelis were killed in the war with the Arab "Palestinians" in 2004, 445 fewer than in the previous year, according to figures released Wednesday by the Israel Defense Forces.

Of the 118 killed this year, 55 were killed in terror attacks; the rest were soldiers killed in action. During 2003, 142 Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks.

Suicide bombers carried out only 0.4 percent of the attacks this year, but caused some 47 percent of the deaths. The IDF also reported that 116 planned terror attacks were foiled in 2004, while 14 succeeded.

The decrease is losses can be attributed to a combination of factors, according to the IDF: That part of the Separation Fence constructed in and near Samaria, an improvement in the army's operations in the disputed territories of Judea & Samaria (wrongfully called "West Bank"), better intelligence, a vast improvement in cooperation between the Shin Bet security forces and the IDF, new fighting tactics (mainly the use of the Israel Air Force in the Gaza Strip), and the weakening of the terrorist organizations in the wake of arrests and targeted killings of Hamas leaders.

The success of the IDF and Shin Bet in foiling attacks inside the pre-1967 border led the terrorists to concentrate on attacks in the territories instead. Nevertheless, the number of incidents in the territories of Judea & Samaria fell this year, while in the Gaza Strip they remained stable compared with 2003.

Thirty-six tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip were discovered during 2004; the Palestinians blew two of them up, killing six IDF soldiers.

The Palestinian organizations have also stepped up attacks, mostly using mortars, against Jewish communities in Gaza, as the time for the proposed disengagement approaches.

The IDF believes that a number of anti-tank missiles have been smuggled from Egypt into the Gaza Strip, and that attempts are being made to transfer some of them to the Judea and Smaria.

The terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas, are looking for ways to carry out "mega" attacks such as mass poisoning, the IDF says.

A senior IDF source said Wednesday that implementation of the disengagement plan would be "one of the toughest tests we have ever faced." He said the settlers have been putting up roadblocks and demonstrating against the IDF in places where the army has to deal with terrorists operating against settlements. He also noted the verbal attacks against senior IDF personnel who are connected with the disengagement plan, including OC Southern Command Major General Dan Harel, and said settlers "are using the IDF" for political purposes.

The source added that soldiers had not yet begun training to evacuate settlements and that this would begin closer to the date of the disengagement, probably early in the summer.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg