That wasn't enough of a provocation for you?

May. 5, 2002
Golani battalion commander killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Nablus raid
By Margot Dudkevitch

Golani battalion commander Maj. Avihu Ya’acov, 24, of Kfar Hassidim was killed, Company Commander Lt.-Col. Ofek Bukhris was seriously wounded, and a third soldier was lightly wounded Friday morning during an IDF operation in Nablus.

A Palestinian Authority policeman and a senior Hamas activist, both armed, were killed during the operation.

The forces were acting on specific intelligence information received by the Shin Bet security agency regarding the terrorists’ plans to carry out a suicide bombing attack in one of the cities in the center of the country.

The three soldiers, who were operating near the Nablus casbah, came under fire as they surrounded a three-story building that contained a bomb factory and several hiding terrorists. They were airlifted to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer, where Ya’acov succumbed to his wounds shortly after his arrival.

Security forces then entered an apartment they identified as the source of the gunfire and killed Hamas fugitive Ali Mansur Haduri, of Tulkarm, wanted by Israel for his role in the Netanya Park Hotel suicide attack on Seder night, and PA policeman Abdel Karim Arja. Haduri was in the midst of preparing bombs when he was shot. Security forces then blew up the bomb laboratory, which due to the vast amount of explosives in it severe damaged the building.

Soldiers found and destroyed another bomb laboratory in a nearby Tanzim building.

Four Hamas fugitives were arrested during the operation, including a terrorist who allegedly planned to carry out a suicide bomb attack in the coming days.
The IDF released details regarding three of the captured fugitives:

In a vehicle owned by Hani Rahman Mahmud Halbonah, soldiers found weapons and components used for making bombs and explosives. Iman Hatem Afif Shahshir, who had dispatched terrorists to perpetrate suicide bomb attacks, was involved in a bus attack near Jerusalem’s French Hill neighborhood several months ago, and was in the midst of planning another suicide bomb attack. Said Kassam Said Osama was preparing a suicide bombing inside Israel in the coming days when he was caught. They were handed over to the Shin Bet for questioning.

Seven armed Palestinians surrendered to security forces but were released after their identities were checked and their weapons confiscated. Palestinians reported that security forces arrested 15 Palestinians in the city during the operation. On completing their mission, IDF forces left the city.