The IDF has maintained a carefully observed closure on Nablus in light of urgent intelligence warnings about terrorists’ plans to execute a number of terror attacks, at least one of which is geared to be carried out in Israel.

The attacks in question are being planned by Fatah terrorists, directed by Hizbullah and handled by members of the Popular Resistance Committees in the Gaza Strip.

This intelligence has prompted the IDF to continue to inspect scrupulously at the roadblocks in the Nablus area, despite Olmert’s commitment to Abu Mazen that he would ease restrictions at the roadblocks.

On Thursday the IDF arrested Imad Guad Damara, a Tanzim terrorist from Nablus who belongs to a terrorist infrastructure that is directed by Hizbullah.

Damara, who served as the replacement for Mohammed Ramahana, who was killed 40 days ago in the course of an operation that was geared to arrest him, spent the days prior to his arrest making plans for a suicide bombing attack. He was arrested thanks to information that was obtained from other detainees who had worked with Damara. They said that Damara had been responsible for repeated efforts to smuggle out of Nablus bombs and bomb belts. He was also involved in shooting attacks and planting roadside bombs against IDF troops that operate in the Nablus area. Security officials said that the terrorist infrastructure in question constitutes one of the central threats currently present in Judea and Samaria and that its activists have continued incessantly to try to carry out terror attacks against Israeli civilians.

IDF officials, moreover, are troubled by the resumption of the gunfire on Psagot. Terrorists shot at IDF positions near Psagot twice over the weekend. No one was injured and no damage was caused.

A surge was recorded in recent weeks in the number of attempts Islamic Jihad activists have made to attack Israel from the Gaza Strip, said military officials…

This article ran on the January 28th edition of HaTzofeh