The IDF is finally taking action against the Balata refugee camp, a lawless area of the West Bank that houses many of the terrorists and their bomb factories: Shattering the myth of sanctuary. In the process the IDF is confronting the demon of urban warfare and coming up with solutions:

The army knew Balata would be different and last week started the operation by taking over four four-story buildings on the outskirts of the camp to serve as sniper and observation posts.

It was a complex operation involving hi-tech equipment, combat intelligence, and advanced command-and-control coordination between the many squads operating from house to house. The IDF, however, has not yet taken control of the entire camp or started destroying the bomb and rocket factories. But it is working on it.

The army knew the streets were booby trapped with bombs. In fact it was a bomb which killed St.-Sgt. Haim Bachar. Instead of moving on the streets, the paratroopers are cutting their way through the walls as they move house by house across the camp, military sources said.