Israel combats Palestinians' West Bank rocket-making
Israel is growing concerned about Palestinian factions’ attempts to manufacture rockets inside the West Bank.
Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces reportedly seized evidence recently that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is trying to build rockets in the West Bank to attack Israel. The evidence included a prototype of a handmade, primitive rocket and missile, built from a hollow tube and potassium nitrate.
Three PIJ members were arrested in Tulkarm, the West Bank, according to Palestinian security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity with Israeli Channel 12. The station revealed Sept. 23 that the patrols also confiscated tools designed to manufacture rockets.
The sources said PIJ members had received instructions from Lebanon on how to make and operate rockets. The sources did not say whether the instructions were provided by the PIJ or Hezbollah command in Beirut, or how.
According to the same sources, the members of the cell admitted during questioning that they were trained by Iranians. However, the rockets they planned to manufacture were not advanced.
