Death Toll From Terror Attacks Declines in 2006

(January 2006)

Palestinian terrorists killed 23 Israelis and foreign visitors in 2006, down from a high of 289 in 2002 during the height of the uprising. Only two Palestinian suicide bombers managed to infiltrate into Israel for attacks that killed 11 people and wounded 30 others. Israel has gone nearly nine months without a suicide bombing inside its borders, the longest period without such an attack since 2000.

One major factor in that success is the construction of the security fence. “The security fence was put up to stop terror, and that’s what it's doing,” said Capt. Noa Meir, a spokeswoman for the Israel Defense Forces. While successful suicide bombings are at a low, the number of attempts is rising, she said. The Israeli army arrested 187 potential suicide bombers last year, up from 96 in 2005.

Source: McClatchey Washington Bureau, (January 11, 2006)