One day after Israeli police discovered an explosive-laden truck in southern Israel, the government barred the entry of Palestinian vehicles from the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, police arrested two Palestinians in connection with the vehicle. Both suspects, residents of Gaza City, later told investigators that they were planning a suicide bombing in Beersheba.
“By finding the bomb, a major attack was aborted,” Police Commissioner Assaf Hefetz told Army Radio.
The incident occurred Monday night near Tel Sheva, a Bedouin Arab village near Beersheba. Two policemen, suspicious of truck bearing Gaza license plates, had approached the vehicle. The driver of the truck hit one of the police over the head with a crowbar and then fled with the second occupant.
The truck was filled with several dozen pounds of explosives packed in cartons and plastic crates. Border police sapper were called to the site and safely blew up the vehicle.
Police said they believed that the suspects belonged to the Hamas fundamentalist group, which has claimed responsibility for several recent terror attacks.
Hamas is also believed responsible for an ambush Sunday of an Israeli bus near the West Bank town of Hebron. Two Israelis were killed in that attack.
Police Minister Moshe Shahal said the attempted bombing was further proof that the only way to foil suicide missions was to keep Palestinians out of Israel.
“Without separation, we cannot provide reasonable security to the residents of Israel,” he said.
Shahal is a leading proponent of establishing a separation — replete with fences, electronic surveillance, security patrols and guard dogs — along Israel’s borders with the West Bank and Gaza.
Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat condemned the planned attack, but also called for an end to the vehicle ban.
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