January 27, 2003

Mofaz: Terrorists want to disrupt election

By Herb Keinon

The Palestinians are stepping up efforts to carry out terror attacks in advance of Tuesday's election, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet Sunday.

Mofaz said there has been a marked increase in the number of terror warnings.

A record 25,000 security personnel will be employed during Election Day more than 15,000 policeman, 4,500 private security guards, 4,200 civilian volunteers, and 1,500 soldiers, police said Sunday.

Each of the country's 8,044 polling stations will be guarded by one or more security officers, depending on its size and location.

In addition, Mofaz said the IDF was clamping a closure on the territories beginning Sunday afternoon until after the election to prevent Palestinians from entering Israel.

Mofaz said the terrorist organizations want to disrupt the election. When the Likud went to the polls on November 28 to elect the party's leader, terrorists attacked a Likud headquarters in Beit She'an, killing six people.

Mofaz said that curfews will be clamped on Palestinian areas where there are warnings that attacks may originate.

During his weekly security briefing, Mofaz gave a slide presentation showing that there has been a significant increase in the number of attacks prevented since Operation Defensive Shield in the spring.

Mofaz, as he has done every week for a month, also addressed the Palestinian talks being held in Cairo. He said that while the Egyptians are trying to get an agreement for a year-long cease fire, they are being resisted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who are not willing to give up suicide bombings.

He said it is likely that a "compromise" will be worked out whereby the Palestinians will agree to a short cease-fire limited to the Green Line. Israel, he said, will not agree to this. Mofaz said that in response to recent incursions in communities along the seam line and in the territories, the IDF has decided to step up distribution of IDF-issued weapons to citizens in these areas.

Etgar Lefkovits contributed to this report

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