The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Border Guard have foiled another attempt by Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists to kidnap someone within pre-1967 Israel – but the facts were withheld under gag order till Sunday.

The attempted attack took place just a few weeks ago – on January first – when members of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization tried to make their way into Israel through one of the crossings from Palestinian Authority territory.

The terror cell was arrested in a joint operation by Israeli security personnel as its members tried to enter Israel. Two of its members are residents of the PA city of Jenin, one is from Kalansawe, another is a resident of the northern Israeli Arab city of Umm el-Fahm, and another is an inmate in an Israeli prison.

The would-be kidnappers were caught red-handed in the wee hours of January 1 at the Eyal Junction, with a search of their car revealing ropes, heavy tape, a knife, “life-like” gun, ski hats and other equipment, security sources said.

According to court papers submitted Sunday during arraignment of the five on Sunday at Lod District Court, they admitted during interrogation to their role in the plot to kidnap Israeli soldiers and other  citizens from various public transportation stations in central Israel.

Israeli hostages are extremely valuable to PA Arab terrorists, because they can be used as collateral for prisoner swap deals in exchange for literally hundreds, and sometimes more than a thousand terrorists, including those with “blood on their hands” – those who have murdered Jews.

The last such Israeli to be abducted and held captive, alive, was IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who after more than five years of being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, was returned to Israel in exchange for more than a thousand terrorists, including hundreds of murderers, some serving life sentences.