Netanyahu: Israel foils 5 suicide attacks this year

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel has foiled five suicide bombings and many other "terrorist" attacks since the start of the year. Shin Bet, the domestic security service, and the army had prevented the bombings and 30 attempted kidnappings of soldiers, Netanyahu told visiting Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. "We have fought terrorism for many years... including this year when five attempted suicide attacks were thwarted along with 30 attempted kidnappings and many other terrorist attacks," he was quoted as saying in a statement. The Israeli leader did not elaborate on the origin of the attackers or their targets. "We would be very happy to make our experience and expertise available for our common battle against terrorism," he told the Colombian president. On Monday, Santos met Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, with the two men signing a free trade agreement as well as deals on aviation and technological innovation. He held talks on Tuesday with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the occupied West Bank focussing on the peace process and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Abbas told the Wafa news agency. Colombia was one of a minority of states to abstain in a vote on upgrading the Palestinians' status at the United Nations in November, which passed with overwhelming international support.