(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
 
This morning, security forces caught an Israeli truck carrying 300 liters of potassium nitrate at the Tarqumiya crossing, northwest of Hebron, as part of an operation to prevent the transfer of prohibited dangerous substances into the Judea and Samaria region.

In recent weeks the IDF, ISA, Civil Administration, the Crossing Point Management and the Israel Police are continuing the campaign to prevent the transfer of prohibited dangerous substances into Judea, Samaria and the Gaza strip. As part of this campaign, the IDF is conducting specific operations based on the intelligence provided by the ISA as well as through the routine operation of the security forces.

Possession of these substances is illegal in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza strip due to their use in the manufacture of rockets, weapons and explosives.

 On March 31, 2008, an Israeli truck carrying a ton of Urea was caught by security forces at the Eliyahu crossing. On March 19, 2008, an Israeli truck carrying three tons of potassium nitrate was caught by security forces at Trans-Samaria crossing, southeast of Qalqiliya.

In the past month security forces discovered over five tons of batteries containing sulfuric acid, 40 liters of sulfuric acid, 30 liters of nitric acid, 50 kg of potassium nitrate, 30 kg of fertilizer containing potassium, nitrate, phosphor and 25 kg of urea.

The security forces will continue to operate against the transfer of prohibited dangerous substances into the Palestinian Authority. These substances are used as the raw material for the manufacture of explosives used for terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Without these substances terrorist organizations would have much more difficulty executing terrorist attacks.