Security sources: Fatah has resumed terrorist activities
By Amos Harel Haaretz Last update - 08:03 05/04/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1076398.html

Defense officials said over the weekend they are concerned about the
increased involvement of Fatah-affiliated militants in attacks against Jews
in the West Bank over the past two months.

Fatah members stopped attacks against Israel around two years ago, but the
involvement of Fatah members in the recent deadly attack in Bat Ayin and the
murder of two policemen in the Jordan Valley is being investigated.

The investigation into these attacks and the attempted bombing at a mall in
Haifa are under strict censorship restrictions, as requested by the Shin Bet
security service.

Officers from the Israel Defense Forces' Central Command said they had a
lead regarding last week's attack in Bat Ayin, in which a 13-year-old boy
was killed with an ax. The assailant has not yet been caught.

Foreign elements are cooperating with Fatah militants, defense officials
say. In 2003 and 2004, when Fatah was responsible for a considerable part of
terrorist attacks in the West Bank and beyond the Green Line, most teams
were handled by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad operatives based in Beirut and
Damascus, who supplied funds and leadership.

In addition to a possible Hezbollah connection, terrorist factions in the
Gaza Strip appear to have also increased their involvement in the West Bank,
the officials say.

As Israel and the Palestinian Authority have tightened security cooperation
in the West Bank, Fatah members have gradually ceased to carry out attacks
against Israelis. Members of the Fatah-linked Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades have
also stopped targeting Israelis.

Moreover, hundreds of members of Fatah's military wing pledge, in agreements
between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, to have ceased terrorist
activity in exchange for the Shin Bet's promise to stop pursuing them. Some
of these men still enjoy a form of protective custody in the West Bank.
Others became officials in the Palestinian Authority's security forces.

However, intelligence reports suggest that several Fatah militants have
resumed planning and implementing attacks against Israel. Some of the
militants who signed pledges are also thought to be in violation of the
contracts.

This trend could indicate a loss of power by Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister, Salam Fayyad.

Alternately, political activists could be encouraging Fatah militants to
carry out attacks to preserve a military option and out of the assumption
that the relationship with Israel could severely deteriorate now that
Benjamin Netanyahu is prime minister.