Israel continues its war of aggression against the Palestinians
Palestine-Israel, Military, 4/3/2002

For the 6th running day, Israel has continued its war of aggression against the Palestinians and no body is able to count the number of Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli forces because of the tough military measures which obstruct the move of the ambulances to admit the victims to hospitals, and which prevents journalists from the area.

Amid these drastic conditions, the Israeli defense minister expanded his war against the Palestinians and his attacks on Tuesday targeted Palestinian mosques, convents and churches.

News reports said that 200 Israeli tanks are besieging the city of Nablus in preparation for occupying it, adding that the Israelis burnt ultimately a church in Bethlehem and this resulted in killing one clergy and wounding tens of nuns, at a time when the Israeli tanks are besieging al Mahd Church ( the birthplace of the Christ) attempting to break into it. The Israelis also cut water and electricity supplies from other churches and convents, destroyed one Mosque in Toulkarem while other mosques in Ramullah are being bombarded.

On Tuesday, the Israeli defense minister Benjamin Bin Aliazer discussed with heads of security departments and military leaders discussed the escalation military steps, while Israeli military sources stressed to the Israeli daily Maareve that the US had green-lighted the military operations carried out by the Israeli army in the Palestinian cities and villages.

In this regard the US Secretary of State Colin Powell expected the Israeli occupation for Ramullah and the West Bank to last for more than 2 weeks. A matter which was explained by observers as an implicit American approval of the invasion operation.

Meantime, the Palestinian authority refused the conditions set by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon for permitting Yasser Arafat to get out of the Palestinian territories but under the conditions not to return back to it.

The local rule official in the Palestinian Authority Saeb Oreikat stressed that Arafat will not accept to be exiled under any condition.

On Tuesday the Israeli invading forces occupied Ramullah completely and the Israeli forces deployed its tanks, armored vehicles and bulldozers in the streets of the city which was completely empty from traffic and passers.

News reports said that the Israeli soldiers are moving from one house to another backed by intensive machine gun fire and heavy artillery and that the stationed in several positions especially in an 8- storey building that overlooks the city center.

One Israeli soldier was wounded during the operations conducted by the Israeli army in the city. The Israeli tanks besieged al-Mahd square in preparations for storming it.

The Qatari Satellite station said that the Israeli tanks are trying to break into al-Mahd square since the early hours of Tuesday but the Palestinian resistance prevented the realization of this progress.

Violent confrontation took place between the Israeli occupation forces and the Palestinian youths in the streets of the city.

Al-Jazira TV correspondent said that the Israeli forces burnt a church in Bethlehem and this resulted in the death of a clergy..

A Palestinian security source said that the israeli soldiers started breaking in and inspection operations in the houses in the camp.

The Palestinian reaction to the Israeli army brutal aggression, the Palestinian Intifada youths opened fire at an Israeli car to the south of Hebron in the West bank resulted in wounding four Palestinians. The Israeli jets and Apache planes raided for several raids on Tuesday at the city of Bethlehem and al-Dheishe, Gaza and Aida camps.

Palestinian security sources and eye- witnesses said that 12 Israeli tanks incurred into the city of Jenin in preparations for a large - scale incursion in Jenin, where, according to Palestinian security sources and eye- witnesses that 150 tanks and armored vehicles positioned at its outskirts.

The Israeli forces stormed into the Palestinian preventive security center in Beitonia, using the Palestinian citizens who live near it as human shields. The center for several times was bombarded by the Israeli helicopters. More than 400 Palestinians including policemen, women, children and citizens are held in this center, More than 30 of those Palestinians were wounded because of this bombardment and an Israeli military spokesman said that many of the Palestinians inside the building were killed or wounded.

The Israeli forces arrested unlimited number of Palestinians existed at the headquarters of the Palestinian preventive security which has been besieged by the Israeli forces in Ramullah in the West bank.

Palestinian officials and eye- witnesses said that the Palestinian detainees transported by five coaches from Beitouna complex in the West bank which was bombarded earlier, heading for the Israeli military Oufer base to the south of Ramullah.

The Israeli radio admitted that 200 Palestinians from the headquarters of the Palestinian preventive security were arrested.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli forces reoccupy Toulkarem, Qalqilya, Beit Jala and besiege the camps   (4/2/2002)
  Palestinian militants killed 10 suspected informers   (4/1/2002)
  Arafat's elite guards executed by Israeli army?   (4/1/2002)

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