By Gil Ronen
Two knife-wielding terrorists who tried to infiltrate the Samaria community of Elon Moreh Monday morning have been caught.
At about 8:45 a.m., the outlook position at Elon Moreh identified two Arabs approaching the fence surrounding the community.
The Elon Moreh Security Coordinator arrived at the scene and the Arabs ran away to the nearby village of Azmut.
The security coordinator entered the village with a battalion-sized IDF force. The two terrorists were caught. An initial inquiry showed that they are residents of the Balata "refugee camp" and that they were armed with knives.
Samaria Regional Authority Head Gershon Mesika congratulated the Samaria Brigade Commander Col. Nimrod Aloni for the quick way in which the event was handled.
"The IDF outlooks' alertness and the alacrity of the IDF soldiers and the Elon Moreh Security Coordinator prevented a terror attack," he said. "The nation of Israel thanks the IDF's soldiers. It has been proven yet again that when the IDF is allowed to act determinedly, it can defeat terror."
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Egyptian Gas Pipeline Blown Up for 13th Time
Source: Arutz Sheva
By Elad Benari
According to a BBC report, the blasts happened near the town of el-Arish in the north of the Sinai desert, sending flames high into the air, witnesses said.
The Egyptian gas pipeline provides 43 percent of Israel’s natural gas. The explosion could lead to disruptions in the supply of gas, as has happened following similar explosions in the past.
The 12th attack on the pipeline took place exactly one month ago, on March 5, when masked gunmen planted explosives under the pipeline.
In January, the Egyptian military foiled a planned attack on a natural gas plant in the Sinai Peninsula. Local media reported that masked men in two four-wheel cars approached the plant, which is located 10km south of El-Arish, and attempted to plant explosives, but found the armed forces and local guards lying in wait. A gunfight ensued.
It is expected that gas fields discovered off Israel's northern coastline will be able to supply the Jewish State with its energy needs within another two years, thus eliminating the need to rely on Egypt.
Israel’s Utilities Regulatory Commission recently said Israelis will be expected to pay even more than they already have for their electricity by the end of this secular calendar year. By the end of 2014, the price of power is expected to be 31 percent higher than it is at present.
One of the reasons cited for the increase in prices is the continuous attacks on the Egyptian pipeline.
