The Salah al-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), conducted an exercise in Beit Hanoun on Saturday in which it rehearsed a raid of an IDF base and the kidnapping of an Israeli
soldier.
PRC spokesman Abu Abir told Ynet that the drill was aimed at sending a message that "if the Israelis don't resolve the Palestinian prisoners issue soon and contemplate attacking Gaza, the Palestinian resistance is prepared to not only defend the Strip but also take the initiative and kidnap more soldiers who will never see the light of day unless a prisoner exchange deal is signed."
PRC members during drill (Photo: AFP)
The spokesman said the exercise was also aimed at pressuring the Shalit family and the Israeli public to demand that the government work toward "bringing about the release of the captive IDF soldier and prevent the capture of additional Israeli troops".
He admitted that prior to the current ceasefire with Israel Palestinian groups, including the PRC, failed in their attempts to abduct Israeli soldiers.
"Other kidnapping operations were frozen due to the truce," Abu Abir said, "but they will be carried out should the ceasefire be violated and in case no solution is found to the issue of the Palestinian prisoners within the framework of a prisoner swap (with Israel)."
The spokesman added that members of the armed Palestinian groups are "not resting, but rather training and preparing for the day Israel violates the truce and attacks Gaza.
"Why are the Israelis permitted to arms themselves and train and we aren't?" he said. "We will continue with our jihad and warn that if Israel attacks, the Strip will become a graveyard for IDF soldiers."
According to Abu Abir, some 50 PRC members took part in the drill, adding that the gunmen who portrayed the kidnapped IDF soldier "looked very much like Gilad Shalit".
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