BACKGROUND INFORMATION Attributed to "security sources" (From IDF
Spokesperson) 7 July 2004

The impact of the Security Fence on the operational capability of the terror
infrastructure in the Northern West Bank

1. It is clear that the security fence, built to save lives, has proven
to do exactly that- it saves lives, every single day.
A close look at the statistics regarding the terrorist attacks carried out
by the terror infrastructure in the Northern West Bank prior to the erection
of the fence, compared with the attacks carried out by the same
infrastructure following the completion of the fence, illustrates a sharp
decrease in terrorist attacks carried out against innocent Israeli
civilians.

2. Over the past 11 months, from August 2003 to June 30, 2004, the
terrorist infrastructure in the Northern West Bank managed to carry out
three suicide attacks carried out in Israel (all of which occurred in the
second half of 2003), killing 26 Israelis and wounding 76, (on two occasions
the terrorists infiltrated through areas in the Northern West Bank in which
the fence is yet to be completed. On the third occasion the suicide bomber
infiltrated Israel through the Bartah crossing using a Jordanian passport.
She managed to do so due to tendency of the soldiers to be more lenient with
Palestinian women.

3. In comparison, prior to the erection of the fence, in the 34 months
since the beginning of the conflict, this terror infrastructure succeeded in
carrying out 73 attacks, in which 293 Israelis were killed and 1,950 were
wounded.
Comparing these facts and figures establishes several important points:

· A sharp decrease of aproximately 90% in the number of successful
terror attacks- from an average of 26 attacks per year prior to the
establishment of the fence, to three the year following the completion of
the fence.
· A sharp decrease of approximately 70% in the number of casualties
from terror attacks- from an average of 103 Israelis murdered a year prior
to the establishment of the fence, down to 28 the year following the
completion of the fence.
· A sharp decrease (roughly 85% ) in the number of wounded- from an
average of 688 Israelis wounded a year prior to the establishment of the
fence, to 83 the year following the completion of the fence.

4. During the abovementioned period, the Israeli security forces
thwarted dozens of planned attacks in the final stages of their
implementation.
As a result of the successful thwarting of these attacks and following the
arrests of the terrorists and the heads of terror, Israeli security forces
uncovered 24 explosive belts and charges intended to be used for these
attacks.

5. It is now clear that the reason, to a great extent, for the sharp
decrease in the number of suicide bombings in Israel is the result of the
security barrier. This, alongside the daily operations aimed at thwarting
attacks enables us to save lives.

6. Following the success of the security barrier, we are now witnessing a
phenomenon of which terrorists attempt to launch their attacks and
infiltrate from areas to the South and to the places where the fence has not
yet been completed.(Mainly through Jerusalem and Ramallah). Nevertheless,
all attempts to infiltrate through the south have been thwarted since the
fence was erected, due to our knowledge that terrorists must move south to
carry out attacks.
· Between October 2000 and July 2003, (prior to the fence): 293
Israelis were murdered in 63 attacks.
· Between August 2003 and June 2004, 26 Israelis were murdered in
three attacks.
· In the year 2002, the Israeli home front suffered 46 suicide attacks
murdering 213 Israelis and wounding 1,342. Seventeen of these attacks took
place in Jerusalem.
· In the year 2003, the Israeli home front suffered 17 suicide attacks
murdering 138 Israelis and wounding 701, five of the attacks took place in
Jerusalem.
· In the first six months of 2004 the Israeli home front suffered four
suicide attacks, two of which took place in Jerusalem.

These figures show that the security fence
saves lives.