OBSERVERS DO NOT RULE OUT INTRODUCTION OF ISRAELI TROOPS INTO PALESTINIAN TOWNS








TEL AVIV, MARCH 2, 2001 /from RIA  Novosti Correspondent Andrei Pravov/ -- In an interview on radio station Kol Israel Shaul Mofaz, head of the General Staff of the Israeli army, meted out another threat to the Palestinians. Unless the Palestinian national administration makes serious efforts to combat terrorism, "Israel will have to take things into its hands," he said.  Mofaz said that the latest events show that the terrorist elements have become more active, from which "the relevant conclusions should be drawn." Many observers have evaluated Shaul Mofaz's statement as a hint at the possibility of Israeli troops being introduced into some Palestinian towns situated in the so-called Zone A, or in other words are under full Palestinian control. Such a possibility has been seriously discussed in Israel of late.


	Observers believe that Israel might begin to bring in its troops already in the near future in reply to the latest act of terrorism committed on Thursday on the Afula-Hadra highway.  The explosion in a mini-bus killed one person and wounded nine. -0 (tol/var) 


	02/03/01    13:29