Posted on 06/07/2005 8:58:39 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
JERUSALEM - Israeli soldiers killed a top Islamic Jihad militant in a gunbattle Tuesday, and a Palestinian mortar attack on a Jewish settlement killed two non-Israeli workers in one of the deadliest days since February's truce.
The attacks punctuated a day of violence that left five people dead. A second militant was also killed in the gunbattle in the West Bank. Other attacks included Palestinian rocket and mortar barrages aimed at a series of Israeli targets and Israel's killing of an unarmed man who infiltrated into Gaza from Egypt.
The clashes exacerbated tensions already inflamed by Monday's confrontation at a disputed Jerusalem holy site. The Islamic Jihad and Hamas militant groups said they would stick to the truce, but blamed Israel for the violence.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom blamed Hamas. "Hamas is trying very hard to undermine our efforts to move toward peace with the Palestinian Authority," he said.
The Palestinians warned the cease-fire was in jeopardy and urged international intervention. "The situation is deteriorating. The whole cease-fire may collapse," said chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Morwah Kamil, 25, head of the Islamic Jihad military wing in Jenin, was killed in a gunbattle that erupted with Israeli troops in the town of Qabatiya, near Jenin, the army and witnesses said.
Maj. Sharon Asman said Kamil was planning attacks on Israel when soldiers entered Qabatiya to arrest him. He threw a grenade at approaching soldiers, and a shootout ensued, Asman said.
Dozens of townspeople poured into the street, firing guns, throwing firebombs and hurling rocks, Asman said. A military bulldozer demolished a wall in the house where Kamil was holed up, he said.
Kamil's accomplices left the house and surrendered, while Kamil stayed put, and was shot and killed, Asman said.
One gunman firing from outside the house also was killed, and five Palestinians were wounded, the army said. One Israeli soldier was slightly wounded, it added.
"This crime by the Israelis will not pass without response from Islamic Jihad," said an Islamic Jihad spokesman in the West Bank, Khader Adnan.
Israel and the Palestinians disagree over whether Israel pledged to stop hunting fugitives as part of the February truce. The Palestinians said the pledge applied to all wanted men; Israel says Palestinians will no longer be hunted in areas where Palestinian authorities control security as long as fugitives disarm and give up attacks on Israel.
Hours later, Palestinian militants fired a mortar shell into a greenhouse in the Gaza Strip settlement of Ganei Tal. A Palestinian and an Asian worker were killed, and six other workers were wounded, two seriously, the army said.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hamas also fired mortar shells at nearby settlements in southern Gaza, the army said.
Several hours earlier, militants in northern Gaza fired at least three homemade rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot, hitting a house, but causing no injuries.
Hamas claimed responsibility for that attack, saying it came in retaliation for a visit by Jews on Monday to the Jerusalem holy site that was home to the biblical Jewish Temples and now houses the Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest shrine. A confrontation broke out there when Muslim worshippers threw stones at the Jewish visitors and Israeli police responded with stun grenades.
"Any attempt to defile or to harm Al Aqsa Mosque means an open turf war in every corner of our homeland, Palestine," Hamas said in a statement.
The army urged Palestinian officials to rein in the militants. "If they don't act, and quickly, the army will know how to react at the time and place it feels necessary. No country in the world would allow rocket fire on civilian cities," Maj. Sharon Feingold said.
Also Tuesday, Palestinian Cabinet Minister Mohammed Dahlan accused Israel of refusing to properly coordinate its planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians. He spoke after a meeting Monday night between the two sides, where Israel turned over information about the settlements it plans to leave this summer. Dahlan said the information was "useless" and outdated. He said the documents included a 1994 map of Gaza used during peace talks a decade ago.
For its part, Israel said the Palestinians were given information and maps on electricity, water and sewage. The additional information they sought would endanger settlers and security forces, said an adviser to Vice Premier Shimon Peres, Yoram Dori.
Also Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw revealed that British officials had met with two mayors in the West Bank and Gaza who were elected to represent Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that Britain lists as a terrorist organization. The meetings occurred in March and earlier this month and did not include contact with Hamas leadership, he said.
In other violence Tuesday:
_ Israeli troops shot and killed a man who climbed over the fence at the Egypt-Gaza border and entered southern Gaza. Israeli military officials said they thought he was an Egyptian involved in weapons smuggling. No weapons were found on his body, the officials said.
_ Palestinians fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli military force along the Israel-Egypt border near the Gaza city of Rafah and fired a mortar that landed inside Israel near the fence surrounding the northern Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported.
Score one for the home team.
Tomorrow's Headline:
United Nations Condemns Israel in Slaying of Legitimate Muslim Politician
Mission accomplished! :)
If the militants or terrorists violate the cease-fire, then the cease-fire is in trouble. Are they gearing up for an active summer now that they are free to run wild in Lebanon?
"What is best in life?" To crush the jihadists, to terminate their leaders, and to hear the lamentations of the mullahs! Allahu Fubar!
Gee, I'm sure glad that those tranquil Palis are observing the mutual "cease-fire."
(Prolonged eye roll.)
Mighty obliging of him. Thanks.
They apparently need an old fashioned smiting..
Dozens of townspeople poured into the street, firing guns, throwing firebombs and hurling rocks, Asman said. A military bulldozer demolished a wall in the house where Kamil was holed up, he said.
Gotta love the support he had from the local folks. They're all in it together..
He is dead, and the Mossad has pictures of the rioters to identify the next targets.
Except for high-ranking PA officials.
They're safely ensconced within their concrete barriers, phoning representatives from the EU.
Wait a second. The news is about to report from "reliable" Palestinian sources at the scene that the dead guy was carrying a Koran, which was "abused" by the bullets that killed him. Spontaneous rioting, fueled by this latest outrage against the Islamic holy book, is scheduled for 6:00 sharp or when the CNN cameras arrive.
Wait a second. The news is about to report from "reliable" Palestinian sources at the scene that the dead guy was carrying a Koran, which was "abused" by the bullets that killed him. Spontaneous rioting, fueled by this latest outrage against the Islamic holy book, is scheduled for 6:00 sharp or when the CNN cameras arrive.
a Palestinian mortar attack on a Jewish settlement killed two non-Israeli workers... Palestinian militants fired a mortar shell into a greenhouse in the Gaza Strip settlement of Ganei Tal. A Palestinian and an Asian worker were killed, and six other workers were wounded, two seriously, the army said.Fascinating, isn't it, that the term "non-Israeli workers" instead of "Palestinian worker and an Asian worker" was used? Sure, it's clarified further down, but the obvious intent is to downplay these murders by the mass-murdering PLO, and to show that they had good intentions, because their real targets were Israeli Jews.
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So the latest "Peace Initiative" is going down the hopper just like those gone before... Surprise!... (??)
AS to the "desicration" of the Al AQsa Mosque; I have a feeling that the Allmighty himself will take care of that "Abomination of Desolation" in due course, as it has been prophecied that he would ages ago.
And there's another feeling that the fullfillment of that prophecy may not be long in coming.
Stay tuned...
Se'lah.
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