January 2, 2002
Israeli navy commandos take off in helicopters from Eilat toward the Red Sea late at night to intercept the Karine-A, a ship purchased by the Palestinian Authority and bound for Gaza from Yemen. Israeli intelligence began monitoring the ship in December and knows that it is loaded with weapons from Iran. The arms are concealed by a layer of civilian goods, such as clothes, rice and toys.
With aerial cover, the navy commandos overtake the Karine-A just before dawn Jan. 3 without firing a shot and seize 50 tons of Iranian weapons, including long-range Katyusha rockets.
The operation comes during a cease-fire in the Second Intifada, which had been called by Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat on Dec. 16. After the capture, Ra’anan Gissin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, says, “While Arafat was talking about a cease-fire and peace, he was planning the next stage of the fighting, using the lull in the fighting to rearm, regroup and prepare for an escalation once the fighting starts again” (Arieh O’Sullivan, “Seized Katyushas Would Have Put Cities at Risk,” The Jerusalem Post, Jan. 6, 2002).
As a result of the seizure, Arafat receives a publicity black eye, and his utility in the negotiating process is again questioned. Initially, Arafat denies any connection to Iran, only to recant several weeks later. Suicide and terrorist attacks against Israelis continue, prompting Israel to retake Palestinian cities and confine Arafat to his offices in Ramallah.