JERUSALEM -
After four airborne attacks by the Israeli military in three days, the Hamas militant group ordered an all-out assault on Israel and urged foreigners to leave. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) pressed a "war on terror" while ridiculing the new Palestinian government.
The United States on Thursday called a meeting of its fellow Mideast mediators to try to salvage their "road map" peace plan, which is in danger of disintegrating.
Israeli helicopters on Thursday killed a Hamas commander and six others, including his wife and 2-year-old daughter in Gaza. Later, Israeli soldiers went to the West Bank town of Jenin and killed two Islamic Jihad activists.
Between those two operations, Palestinians shot and killed an Israeli motorist in the West Bank. Early Friday, Israeli tanks entered the Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank, residents said, blocking roads.
Masked activists from Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigade, military wing of Hamas, raise their hands swearing to continue their struggle against Israeli targets during demonstrations against the Middle East summit in Jordan led by President George Bush, in Gaza city, Friday June 6, 2003. After four airborne Israeli assassination attacks in three days, the Islamic Hamas ordered an all-out assault on Israel and urged foreigners to leave. Israel's prime minister pressed a ``war on terror'' while ridiculing the new Palestinian government. Arabic on headbands read 'No Gods, only one God, Mohammed is Prophet of Allah'. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)