Qassam fired from West Bank

Cleared for publication: Qassam rocket launched from West Bank town of Jenin
about three weeks ago landed near Israeli community; rocket fired by Islamic
Jihad, Fatah's al-Aqsa Brigades
Ronny Shaked - YNET
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3193067,00.html

Cleared for publication: The Islamic Jihad and Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs'
Brigades fired a Qassam rocket at Israel from the West Bank town of Jenin
about three weeks ago, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported
Sunday.

The attack marked the first time a Qassam fired at Israeli targets from the
West Bank and came close to hitting a Jewish community.

The rocket landed in a Palestinian area in proximity to the Israeli
community of Ram-On.

About nine months ago, security forces neutralized a Qassam rocket ready for
launch in Jenin. Later it turned out the cell behind the
rocket already fired two Qassams earlier, but they were far from hitting
Israel.

Notably, Qassam rockets found in the West Bank are more primitive than those
held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. While Gaza Qassams have a range of 7.5
kilometers (about 5 miles,) those in the West Bank are estimated to have a
range of no more than 5 kilometers (about 3 miles,) and be less potent in
terms of explosive power.

'Expected development'

However, despite the Qassam being a relatively primate weapon, there are
quite a few Israeli communities in range of West Bank rocket attacks.
Residents in those communities expressed their displeasure over the attack
and demanded that the government act firmly in response to the strike.

Security officials, meanwhile, said "this is a highly severe development,
although expected."

"We will act in all ways in order to prevent this terror infrastructure from
developing," one defense official said.

The West Bank Qassam attack has boosted concerns about the production of
rockets in the area. In recent months, Palestinian terrorists stepped up
their efforts to transfer know-how from Gaza to the West Bank in a bid to
produce a weapon that can circumvent the Israeli security fence.

The technology required to produce the rockets is transferred in various
ways, namely by phone, through the Internet, and by taking advantage of
prisoners released from Israeli jails after learning how to produce the
rockets in prison.

Amir Ben David contributed to the report

(01.01.06, 08:44)