_a.jpg "Photo: Ahiya Raved")
Mofaz visited reserve soldiers
Photo: Ahiya Raved
Soldiers ask Mofaz for more protective gear
Reserve soldier serving in Nablus area turns to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz with request for more protective gear
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz met with soldiers from the Samaria District Division and heard about a lack of protective gear. One of the reserve soldiers stood up and said: "The flap jackets are not in good condition. There's a shortage of gear, compared with other battalions."
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Mofaz, for his part, listened attentively, and praised the reserve soldiers, saying he "valued your operations, that you come here with so much motivation."
On a previous tour, the defense minister also heard claims about a lack of protective equipment.
Mofaz was accompanied by Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, and by Central Command Chief Yair Naveh.
The defense minister asked soldiers what they did in the area, and soldiers reported on their recent activity.
Mofaz told soldiers what steps the IDF was taking in order to prevent Qassam rocket attacks: "At this stage, we are not considering a broad ground operation in the Gaza Strip. The zone of fighting is here (in Samaria) and not in Gaza," he said.
Terror capital
Mofaz added that that "Nablus has always been a terror capital from which the main terrorists have come out of, both to the area and within Israel. This period is relatively difficult. The Palestinian Authority is not in control of what goes on within it, or of the other security apparatus that are meant to work to thwart terrorist organizations, and most of the burden is on the IDF, the Shin Bet, Border Police, and the police, and only they can be trusted. We are in a sensitive time and therefore the ongoing activity in Nablus and its surroundings is very important."
Speaking to reporters, Mofaz said that "in the last five years, most of the suicide bombers came from here. In 2002, there were 61 suicide attacks that came from here, and they were reduced to six in 2005. We will continue this reduction."
Mofaz also said that "security since the disengagement is better; we are working through all personal means. At this point, we are preventing movement of Palestinians, and I hope this will bring results. If we see that the rockets continue, we have a series of operations in our bag. We'll continue to work through all the means."
