Last Saturday evening (22/6/91) Israel Television broadcast on a news and current affairs programme a story about undercover army units that were operating in the West Bank and Gaza, The film showed Israeli soldiers dressed in Arab clothes coming to a house full of suspects, Suddenly they removed their kafiyehs and drew concealed weapons to make arrests, The film also interviewed unidentified soldiers who had gone to refugee camps and become members of Palestinian activists groups, Although the existence of the undercover squads was well known by most Israelis and residents of the occupied territories, it was not until now that the authorities permitted the disclosure to the media, The decision to allow Israel Television to film the unit was made by the Chief of Staff Lt,General Ehud Barak without reference even to Defence Minister Arens, Barak reasoned that making official the existence of the squads would further upset the activists in the territories, It would also in his opinion deter Palestinian youths from taking an active part in the intifada, In general the story has caused much controversy and criticism, Most members of the Knesset foreign affairs and defence committee were angry that such operations were made public, The committee members "ere not against the operation, but against the revelation which they felt was an essential part of Israel's fight against Arab terror.

Last Saturday evening (22/6/91) Israel Television broadcast on a news and current affairs programme a story about undercover army units that were operating in the West Bank and Gaza, The film showed Israeli soldiers dressed in Arab clothes coming to a house full of suspects, Suddenly they removed their kafiyehs and drew concealed weapons to make arrests, The film also interviewed unidentified soldiers who had gone to refugee camps and become members of Palestinian activists groups, Although the existence of the undercover squads was well known by most Israelis and residents of the occupied territories, it was not until now that the authorities permitted the disclosure to the media, The decision to allow Israel Television to film the unit was made by the Chief of Staff Lt,General Ehud Barak without reference even to Defence Minister Arens, Barak reasoned that making official the existence of the squads would further upset the activists in the territories, It would also in his opinion deter Palestinian youths from taking an active part in the intifada, In general the story has caused much controversy and criticism, Most members of the Knesset foreign affairs and defence committee were angry that such operations were made public, The committee members "ere not against the operation, but against the revelation which they felt was an essential part of Israel's fight against Arab terror.