Military Intelligence believes that the Palestinians have been able to get their hands on about half a dozen mortars, with a clandestine factory putting out more periodically. There have been reports that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's private plane may have been used to smuggle in mortars. There have not been any mortars fired in the West Bank, but officers in the IDF Central Command believe the Palestinians are holding a few there for the right moment. The Palestinians are using their mortars strictly for psychological effect, and they are not trying to hit military targets. Standard mortars are accurate to within about 100 meters.
Homemade mortars are far less accurate.
Accuracy is meaningless large civilian settlement are targeted. While the initial mortar attacks were blamed on Hizbullah-linked Palestinian Police personnel, reports now say that the man responsible is Rashid Abu Shabak, deputy to Gaza Preventive Security Service chief Mohammed Dahlan. Specials Support Israel's soldiers in their time of need. The Fund for Strengthening Israel's Defense. Exclusive on-line auctions.