Palestinian schoolgirls walk through the rubble of a destroyed building
© AFP Fayez Nureldine
Posted on 01/26/2003 2:58:16 PM PST by RCW2001
Palestinian schoolgirls walk through the rubble of a destroyed building
© AFP Fayez Nureldine
GAZA CITY (AFP) - Defiant Palestinian militants fired more rockets into southern Israel after 12 people were killed in the deepest Israeli raid into Gaza City since the Palestinian Authority was created in 1994, just 48 hours ahead of Israel's elections.
The Katyusha-style unguided missiles caused no damage or injuries as they crashed into fields close to the Isareli town of Sderot across the Gaza border, police said.
Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz had justified the army's overnight raid as an attempt to smash metal workshop allegedly making Qassam rockets, seven of which were launched at Israel on Friday without causing casualties.
Mofaz warned of more operations in the densely populated Gaza Strip and the West Bank and hinted that Israel could fully re-occupy the Gaza Strip as it has most of the West Bank for the past seven months, Israeli radio said.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat called the raid, by more than 25 tanks and other armoured vehicles backed by helicopter gunships, a demonstration of force linked to Tuesday's Israeli general elections, which right-wing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is tipped to win.
 Palestinian mourners escort the coffin of Saed Kahail, 23, to Gaza City's al-Sheikh Redwan cemetery © AFP Fayez Nureldine |
At least one of the victims was identified by Palestinian officials as an unarmed man, but the others killed and wounded may have been Palestinian fighters, including a militant from the radical Islamic group Hamas.
But the army insisted all 12 were militants.
Israeli military officials said the the army operation met strong resistance, including from automatic weapons fire, anti-tank grenades and explosives charges.
The Israelis suffered no casualties in the pitched battle.
Palestinians said more than 50 metal workshops were wrecked, as well as 80 small stores, three houses, a restaurant and a supermarket. Israel said more than 100 metal-working machines were destroyed.
Later in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, a six-year-old Palestinian boy was killed and his five-year-old brother wounded by machinegun fire from tanks close to the Israeli-controlled border with Egypt, Palestinian officials said.
The latest deaths brought to 2,898 the number of people killed since the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada, or uprising, 28 months ago, including 2,155 Palestinians and 687 Israelis.
Some 20,000 people turned out for the funerals of the 12 slain in Gaza City, many firing in the air and calling for vengeance.
 A Palestinian policeman chants anti-Israeli slogans © AFP Mohammed Saber |
Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, for whom the rockets are named, warned Sderot's residents to "leave your town or hide in the shelters. Our fighters will hit any time during incursions or tank shelling."
Israeli forces scouring the northern Gaza Strip found seven more Qassam rockets aimed at Israel and ready to fire, while tanks injured two Palestinians trying to repair the road bridges in Beit Hanoun.
Despite the discovery of the rockets, four more landed in Israel Sunday in a challenge to the Israeli army.
Hamas leader Abdelaziz Rantissi also called for more suicide bombings in response to the latest raid.
Erakat called for outside help for the Palestinians, saying that "If the international community remains silent, Israel will go even further."
He accused Sharon of seeking to ensure victory at the polls through a show of force on the eve of the elections.
 Palestinian girls sit on a grave © AFP Fayez Nureldine |
An aide to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said the Palestinians would call for a UN Security Council meeting to condemn "this new daily war against Gaza," which he said sabotaged Cairo talks which could call for an end attacks which have triggered such a massive Israeli response.
Israel sealed off its frontiers with the Palestinian territories until after Tuesday's elections.
Meanwhile US Secretary of State Colin Powell said a Palestinian state was "possible" by the year 2005 and that the United States is committed to achieving the target.
If I was running the joint over their I would basically invade the Palestinian occupied territories. By whatever means, I would sequester the population until they felt like playing by civilized rules.
They had their chance at Camp David..they blew it...
Capitulation should be the Israeli campaign now. Its War.
Appeasment is like giving a BJ to your opponenet.
He forgot to tell them it would be in Iraq.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.