Some 19 Israelis killed, 66 wounded in a Palestinian operation
Palestine-Israel, Military, 6/19/2002

A "suicide" operation carried out by a Palestinian youth resulted in killing 19 Israeli settlers and wounding 66, when that youth ( Mihammad Hazza al-Ghoule) exploded a coach coming from Geilo settlement and stopped near Safaqa village before it had stopped.

The Palestinian national resistance movement Hamas claimed responsibility for the operation. Hamas said that the executor of this operation is from al-Farigha camp to the north of Nablus and a student at al-Najah university.

Meantime, Israeli forces said that it arrested the brother of the operation's executor Eyad who works at a hospital in Jerusalem. The Israeli forces also announced that Palestinians opened intensive fire at two Israeli military cars in Raas al-Amoud area in Jerusalem but gave no mention to details on the incidents.

The Palestinian Intifada youths also attacked an Israeli patrol to the south of Jenin and detonated an explosive in another patrol while running in al-Shuhadaa crossroad in Gaza.

An Israeli military spokesman admitted that two Israeli soldiers were wounded when a shell fell at a soldier transport station near Doughit settlement and other shells at Ghoushe Katieve settlement in Gaza.

The Palestinian Intifada youth also attacked by machine guns Israeli patrols in Deir al-Um Mashal village, Ramullah and near Hawara village, of Nablus district.

One of the Hamas movement members Abdul Aziz al-Ranteisi said that Jerusalem's operation is a natural reaction to the Israeli crimes and the resistance operations will continue.

On Tuesday the Israeli forces launched campaigns of arrest and breaking in, in various areas of the West Bank that covered scores of Palestinians.

The Israeli forces also assassinated Yousef Basharat, the representative of the Islamic Jihad movement before an Israeli military barrier in Halhoul village and arrested three of his friends who were with him in the car and also bombarded Palestinian houses in the cities of Ramullah, al-Beera and Jenin and destroyed a car for Reuters news agency and this resulted in wounding the people inside it.

Although in a statement issued on Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority denounced Jerusalem's operation, however, the Sharon government held it responsible for what it called acts of violence. Meantime, the Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres cut his visit to Bulgaria and returned back to Jerusalem after he had heard news of the Jerusalem's operation. Peres said we will postpone answering this ( Jerusalem) operation until after the speech to be delivered by US President George Bush on Conditions in the region.

Yossi Sarid of the Mertez movement, held Sharon's government responsible for the operation because this government has blocked all choices before the Palestinians. Sarid said this operation proves the failure of the breaking in policy pursued by Israel of the Palestinian cities. Sarid called on the international community to send international forces to the Palestinian areas.

Meantime, member of the Israeli Knesset Mikhael Cliner called for killing 1000 Palestinian for each one killed Israeli. His bloc at the Knesset ( Beituna) called for demolishing the houses of the Palestinians and expelling them from their lands by means of force.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli radio: Israeli sources and the Palestinian state   (6/18/2002)
  Israeli government starts erection of wall to isolate the West Bank   (6/17/2002)
  Israeli radio: Palestinian Authority for ending activities of armed Palestinian groups   (6/17/2002)
  Israeli forces continue storming into the Palestinian territories   (6/14/2002)
  Eight Palestinians killed by Israel, new settlement built in West Bank   (6/13/2002)
  Israel continues incursion operations in the Palestinian territories, demolishes 7 houses in Jerusalem   (6/12/2002)

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