Military authorities leading the campaign against Palestinian terror told DEBKAfile Monday, April 28, that the removal of the permanent roadblock at Asariya a-Shemaliya north of the West Bank town of Nablus lays the entire area including central Israel open to terrorist attacks which that very roadblock had long been a key element in frustrating. The decision was taken by defense minister Ehud Barak in line with his promise to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to ease Palestinian traffic on the West Bank by reducing the number of roadblocks. She is due for another visit in early May ahead of President George W. BushÂ’s attendance of IsraelÂ’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
Worried anti-terror planners offer dire predictions:
1. The roadblockÂ’s removal enables a link-up between the terrorist strongholds of Jenin and Nablus and helps them strengthen their networks in both.
2. The intense security effort invested by the army and security service in building a counter-terror shield in this part of the West Bank is brought to naught. The sleeper cells of armed Palestinian factions long quiescent in Saida, Beit Iba, Deir Sharaf and Beit Lid between Nablus and Tulkarm will now have unimpeded access to weapons, explosives, reinforcements and an exchange of intelligence for their reactivation.
The murder of two Israelis at Nitsanei Oz across the border from Tulkarm on April 25 was the first sign of these terrorist cells are stirring. They will be further energized by the removal of the key roadblock Monday.
3. They will now have a clear path from the northern West Bank to the trans-Israeli Highway 6 and the Israeli heartland cities of Netanya, Kfar Saba, Rosh HaÂ’ayin and Hadera.