The Jerusalem Post (www.jpost.com) reports that a Palestinian terrorist from the Islamic Jihad murdered a 48-year-old Israeli, father of 4:

Eli Biton, 48, of Moshav Gadish, and two terrorists were killed, and five members of the security forces were wounded one of them moderately when Palestinian gunmen infiltrated the moshav, in the Tanahim region south of Afula, on Sunday night.

The terrorists, who are believed to have come from the nearby Jenin area, crossed the unfenced Green Line and penetrated the moshav with ease at about 7 p.m. Once there, they opened fire at the vehicles on one of the main streets, killing Biton. [...]

Biton, the father of four, was extricated from his car under fire and treated by Magen David Adom paramedics, who were unable to resuscitate him As residents took shelter in their homes, members of the police anti-terror squad conducted house-to-house searches to ensure that no terrorists were holed-up with hostages.

Moshe Suissa said he had been talking outdoors with a neighbor when they heard a burst of firing.
"I immediately went into my house and closed all the doors and windows and later called the emergency number at the Gilboa Regional Council. They told me there was a terrorist infiltration," he said.

"Large forces of police and border police searched the moshav, and we could hear the shooting while we waited indoors with all the lights off for further instructions."

Suissa said residents had undergone exercises in case of terror attacks and knew what to do. Another resident said she kept a close hold on her young daughter in her home as the fighting continued.

The Palestinian murderers from the Islamic Jihad have once again deliberately targeted and murdered an unarmed civilian, this time a father of 4.

I copy the full article below.

The Jerusalem Post, By DAVID RUDGE, Jan. 13, 2003
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename
=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1042379172649

Eli Biton, 48, of Moshav Gadish, and two terrorists were killed, and five members of the security forces were wounded one of them moderately when Palestinian gunmen infiltrated the moshav, in the Tanahim region south of Afula, on Sunday night.

The terrorists, who are believed to have come from the nearby Jenin area, crossed the unfenced Green Line and penetrated the moshav with ease at about 7 p.m. Once there, they opened fire at the vehicles on one of the main streets, killing Biton.

The firing alerted security and large contingents of police, border police, and soldiers went racing to the moshav. The entire area was sealed off and residents were instructed to stay in their homes and close all doors and windows.

At one stage there was concern that the terrorists might have taken hostages, but this proved to be a false alarm.

Members of a Border Police unit in an armored jeep were the first to arrive, and drove straight toward the source of the firing. They spotted one of the terrorists and ran him down, while coming under fire from the second.

Members of a Golani Brigade company stationed near Jenin then arrived and surrounded the second terrorist and killed him in a relatively long firefight.

Islamic Jihad later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Biton, the father of four, was extricated from his car under fire and treated by Magen David Adom paramedics, who were unable to resuscitate him As residents took shelter in their homes, members of the police anti-terror squad conducted house-to-house searches to ensure that no terrorists were holed-up with hostages.

Five members of the security forces three of them border policemen were wounded. They were taken to Ha'emek Hospital in Afula. Two were reported to be moderately wounded, and the remainder lightly hurt.

Moshe Suissa said he had been talking outdoors with a neighbor when they heard a burst of firing.
"I immediately went into my house and closed all the doors and windows and later called the emergency number at the Gilboa Regional Council. They told me there was a terrorist infiltration," he said.

"Large forces of police and border police searched the moshav, and we could hear the shooting while we waited indoors with all the lights off for further instructions."

Suissa said residents had undergone exercises in case of terror attacks and knew what to do.
Another resident said she kept a close hold on her young daughter in her home as the fighting continued.

Menashe Suissa said that "around 7 p.m. we heard two bursts of heavy firing. We didn't know what or where it was. I was on the balcony with my children when I heard the shooting, and I took them inside straight away.

"We quickly realized that there were terrorists in the moshav. We later found out that it had only been 40-50 meters away from our house, not far from the entrance to the moshav.

"One of the residents apparently encountered the terrorists and was seriously wounded and, unfortunately, later died of his wounds. It has been a very hard night for all of us.

"Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to all kinds of incidents, which have been occurring all the time. There have been infiltrations by thieves, but whether they are thieves or murderers has been a matter of luck. Statistically, it would seem now that our luck has run out."

Gilboa Regional Council chairman Danny Attar, who has led the call for the construction of a security fence in the area, said there was no doubt that it would have helped avert casualties.
The council has raised its own funds and has started constructing a fence, starting with a stretch opposite Jenin. Construction has been proceeding as rapidly as possible, but has not reached Moshav Gadish.

"What we worried about has happened before we were able to complete the fence," Attar said. "The distance between Moshav Gadish and Zbuba village is a five-minute walk. This is exactly the area where we have started constructing the security fence, and we had planned to finish it by the end of this week.

"I have no doubt that the security fence would have helped. It might not have prevented infiltration, but it would have raised the alarm and enabled us to make contact with the terrorists before they reached or entered the moshav."
Until now, the only defensive measures in the region have consisted of Border Police patrols in two or three armored jeeps.

Police Insp.-Gen. Shlomo Aharonishky, who went to the scene, said the speedy and effective response of the security forces had prevented the terrorists from carrying out their intention of killing as many residents of the moshav as possible.

"Despite the unfortunate killing of the moshav member, the police, border policemen, and soldiers who joined them managed to bring an end to this incident in a relatively short space of time and kill the terrorists. If not for this speedy response, I believe that we would have been talking about more killed and wounded," said Aharonishky.

Asst.-Cmdr. Jihad Kabalan, head of the Border Police northern region, who took part in the fighting, said that Biton had been a volunteer in the Civil Guard, as well as a security officer for the regional council.

Kabalan said it had been difficult in the darkness to locate the terrorists, who took cover in the bushes and behind farm buildings, while residents of moshav were in their homes. He said it had been imperative to coordinate with the other forces in the field to prevent "friendly fire" incidents and then locate and eliminate the terrorists, but all the forces had worked smoothly together to fulfill the mission in the most efficient manner.

Posted by David Melle
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