Hi-tech system for Israelis
2005-09-04 23:02
Jerusalem - Israeli towns around the Gaza Strip are to be equipped with a hi-tech system for detecting possible Palestinian rocket attacks the army believes are increasing in range, according to an army source.
"We know that they (militants) are trying to considerably improve their technology so we are preparing for any scenario," he said.
According to the Yediot Aharonot daily, Palestinian militants already have rockets with a range of 16.5 km which would notably put Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ranch in the Negev desert within reach of Gaza.
The system, which uses sensors connected to a computer to detect a rocket's launching as well as its trajectory, has already been installed in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, previously a frequent target for Palestinian rockets.
Prior to Israel's historic withdrawal from the occupied Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants launched many homemade rockets on towns in southern Israel, which caused few casualties largely because of their inaccuracy and short range.
The Israeli army repeated its threat on Saturday to respond with zero-tolerance and force to any resumption of militant attacks when the withdrawal ends in mid-September.
- SAPA