RAMALLAH, West Bank, 22 October 2007 — A group of Palestinian gunmen affiliated with Fatah movement attempted to hit Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s convoy as it made its way from Jerusalem to West Bank city of Jericho for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Aug. 6, Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin told the Israeli Cabinet yesterday morning.
According to Diskin, Israel learned of the plan from intelligence information received several days before the visit. The attack was eventually thwarted by the Shin Bet (Israeli internal intelligence agency) and the Palestinian Intelligence Service headed by Tawfiq Al-Tirawi.
Following the incident, the Palestinians arrested three suspects, who were later released, according to Israeli officials. Two other cell members are being held in Israel. Yesterday, Israel filed an official complaint with the Palestinian Authority following the suspects’ release. Israeli security sources expressed their anger over the release, which took place “after these terrorists’ involvement was made clear.”
Olmert’s visit to Jericho on Aug. 6 marked the first official visit in seven years by an Israeli prime minister to the Palestinian Authority.
Shortly after the initial report on the foiled attack, the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said that the plot to assassinate Olmert was originally planned for June 6, when the prime minister was first scheduled to meet with Abbas in the Palestinian territories.
According to Yediot, the cell included five members who were involved in military attacks and previous failed attacks in the West Bank. The information was disclosed to the Palestinian Authority, which arrested three of the cell members. The other two were detained by the IDF and the Shin Bet.
Israeli officials claimed yesterday that the PA released the three suspects, whom Israel claims are members of the Palestinian security organizations, on Sept. 26. The three, Yediot was told, admitted to the plot before they were released.
“We view the assassination attempt as extremely severe,” Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said during yesterday’s cabinet meeting. “We view with severity the fact that the Palestinian Authority released the cell members it had arrested,” a source in the Prime Minister’s Office said yesterday morning.
