Two heavily armed terrorists were killed in a clash with an Israel Defense Force patrol in the southern Lebanon security zone early Saturday morning.
They were apparently planning to attack Moshav Zarit, a settlement just across the border in northern Israel.
The clash occurred near Rashaf village, in the western sector of the security zone, about six miles from the border.
Documents on the bodies identified the infiltrators as members of the Palestine Liberation Front, a pro-Syrian faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization opposed to Yasir Arafat.
They were armed with Kalachnikov assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and a LAW anti-tank missile-launcher.
Both men carried combat packs. One wore a military-style uniform. The other was dressed in civilian clothes.
Residents of Moshav Zarit heard the gunfire but were not put on alert.
They said, however, that they were less concerned by the rising number of clashes with terrorists in the region than by the serious economic difficulties they and other border settlements were having.
Settlers complained they are unable to earn a living from their poultry farming and apple orchards because of low prices for their products and high interest rates on the bank loans they were forced to take.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
