["We have asserted also on the utmost importance for stopping the
Palestinians of invasions and arrests, the last of which was the invasion of
the city of Nablus and its refugee camps."
"Moderate - peace partner" Mahmoud Abbas at his joint press conference 20
September 2007 with Secretary Condoleezza Rice.]

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

During a search in a civilian home, the forces came upon a pregnant
Palestinian woman sitting on a bed. The woman refused to get up, claimed
that there was nothing unusual in her home and that she did not feel well.
The forces continued the search and uncovered a weapons cache under her bed.

Stand by for protests from the various human rights groups that Israeli
forces violated the "dignity" of a sick pregnant woman?]
======

September 22st, 2007
IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE

Summary of IDF activity in the Ein Beit Ilmeh R.C. in Nablus

Prior to the start of the Yom Kipur fast IDF forces completed an operation
against the extensive terror infrastructure in the Ein Beit Ilme refugee
camp in Nablus. The purpose of the operation was to prevent the execution of
terror attacks into the Israeli homefront. The operation began following the
receipt of information about the intention of Palestinian terrorist
organizations to execute murderous attacks. Nablus is the terror capital of
the West Bank. In 2007, 10 bomb making laboratories were found in the area.
In 2006, 117 of the 187 potential suicide bombers arrested in Judea and
Samaria were from the Nablus area.

An IDF soldier, Staff Sergeant Ben-Zion Haneman, was killed, and another
soldier was lightly injured during the operation. In a number of incidents,
Palestinians opened fire and detonated explosives at IDF soldiers. IDF
forces killed two Palestinian gunmen, among them the gunman who was
responsible for the killing of Staff Sergeant Haneman.

IDF searches uncovered weapons caches in civilian homes containing hand
grenades, assault rifles, means for making explosives, mechanisms used for
explosives, army equipment and additional ammunition. IDF sappers detonated
the weaponry and explosives material in a controlled fashion.

49 wanted Palestinians among them Hamas and PFLP militants were arrested
during the operation and taken for questioning by security forces. Among the
militants arrested, was Nihad Rashid Hasan Shakirat, a senior wanted
militant, head of the Hamas terror organization in the Ein Beit Ilmeh R.C.
Shakirat, 34, was hiding inside a civilian home at the time of his arrest
until the residents of the house, concerned by the presence on behalf of the
IDF, forced Shakirat to exit the building.

Shakirat, 23, revealed during questioning that he had given an explosive
suicide belt to Mahed Ashur, a resident of Nablus who worked in Tel Aviv.
Yesterday, IDF forces arrested Ashur who directed the forces to a weapons
cache, which contained bomb making materials. During his questioning Ashur
admitted to receiving a suicide belt from Shakirat which he transferred to
Tel Aviv in order to execute a suicide bombing against Israeli civilians.
The belt was later found by Border Police sappers in a civilian home in
southern Tel Aviv and detonated in a controlled fashion.

During a search in a civilian home, the forces came upon a pregnant
Palestinian woman sitting on a bed. The woman refused to get up, claimed
that there was nothing unusual in her home and that she did not feel well.
The forces continued the search and uncovered a weapons cache under her bed.

The Forces also arrested the senior wanted Palestinian militant Ahmed Yusuf
Iah Aa-Az, 36, one of the senior leaders of the Hamas terror organization in
the Ein Beit Ilmeh R.C..

In a different incident, the forces arrested a Hamas terror operative, who
was dressed at the time as a woman in order to disguise himself while the
IDF forces searched for him.

IDF forces also arrested Haled Nuri, Yusuf Nadi and Mustafa Nuri, members of
the Hamas terror organization who admitted during their investigation that
they intended to execute terrorist attacks. Mustafa Nuri also admitted his
intention to commit a suicide bombing. Their terrorist cell acquired
weaponry for the execution of the attacks from the leaders of the Hamas
infrastructure in the Nablus region. Hamis Valid Hamis Mari, 28, a senior
PFLP operative was also arrested as part of the activity.

The IDF operation successfully prevented terror attacks on Israeli
civilians. The IDF will continue to operate against the terror organizations
in order to ensure the security and safety of the citizens of Israel.