Israel Seals Off Jericho After Palestinians Foil Bomb Plot
Palestinian troops on Saturday caught Islamic militants who planned to explode a car bomb at the Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, an Israeli security source said.
The Israeli army sealed Jericho for most of Saturday, barring motorists from entering and leaving the Palestinian self-rule enclave.
The army would not say why it ordered the closure, but the security source said it was to facilitate arrests.
The security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants were caught by undercover agents working for the Palestine Liberation Organization’s security chief in Jericho.
The source said they acted on a tip from the Israeli secret service, Shin Bet.
Israel TV, quoting a senior Israeli official, said the militants were from the Muslim group Hamas.
The Allenby Bridge, just east of Jericho, links the West Bank and Jordan. It is mostly used by Palestinian travelers and foreign tourists, but not by Israelis. It was not immediately clear why Islamic militants would choose the bridge as a target.
Israeli military sources said the army reopened the main road to Jericho on Saturday evening.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
