article from the Jerusalem Post about terrorist weapon smuggling

Diskin: 11 tons of TNT reach Gaza Strip since pullout

Jun. 6, 2006 17:40 Updated Jun. 6, 2006 18:27

By SHEERA CLAIRE FRENKEL



The amount of weapons and explosives smuggled into the Gaza Strip since disengagement was bigger than the total amount smuggled into the strip since the Six Day War, Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin said Tuesday in a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

According to Diskin, since the IDF left Gaza, in September 2005, there were 11 tons of TNT, three million bullets, 19,600 rifles, 1,600 pistols, 65 RPG launchers, 430 RPGs and some 10 shoulder rocket launchers smuggled into Israel.

The Shin Bet head added that Israel had also foiled attempts by the global Jihad to establish an ideological infrastructure in Nablus and around Jerusalem. He did not elaborate.

Diskin also said that he believed that Kassam fire on Israel from the Gaza Strip would continue.

In addition, Diskin spoke about the current state of the Palestinian Authority. "Fatah could accept its election loss and wanted to hold to power, as opposed to Hamas, which did not expect an election victory but did not know how to hold on to power." He said that despite the current standoff between the two parties, he believed neither side wanted a civil war.

According to Diskin, Hamas is encountering problems paying PA salaries, saying that it was ironic that most of this money was owed to Fatah employees. "Hamas is aware that they need to pay this money as it is the motor driving the PA economy," said Diskin.

The Shin Bet head added that there was an internal struggle within Hamas between "those who want to make an entrance onto the international stage and those who want to continue their pursuit of terror."

He called Abbas the "hope of Fatah and the international community."

Concerning the three-day extension Abbas granted to Hamas to accept the prisoners document Diskin said that Abbas had started something of crucial importance but that he "doesn't know how it would all end."

He stressed that Israel would not interfere with proceedings.

"Iran is putting pressure on Hizbullah to carry out attacks on Israeli targets," he said, adding that more than 20 million dollars had been smuggled in suitcases to the Hamas movement.

He said that international Jihad movements were active in both Sinai and Jordan.