Israel kills six Palestinians, demolishes16 houses; Katsav admits failure to suppress Intifada
Palestine-Israel, Military, 1/3/2003

The Israeli President Moshe Katsav has admitted the failure of the Israeli government to suppress the Palestinian Intifada. In a statement to the Israeli military radio yesterday, Katsav said that Israel has to pursue what he called a new strategy to settle this matter which he called the Israeli "left and right" had not succeeded in finding solutions for. He said that it is the right time for Israel to proceed in the rightful track.

Meantime, six Palestinians were shot dead and more than 16 Palestinian houses were demolished and damages were inflicted in scores of Palestinian houses during incursions operations carried out yesterday by the Israeli forces in Rafah, and the Palestinian camps of al-Nuseirat, Jabali and al-Maghazi in Gaza.

One Israeli settler was killed and three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the confrontation with the Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Israeli forces imposed yesterday curfew on the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour in the West Bank.

Clashes took place between Palestinian youths and the Israeli soldiers in al-Mdabesah quarters in Bethlehem as the Palestinians defied the Israeli curfew.

The Israeli soldiers opened fire and tear gas at the youths of al-Dheisheh camp, who were throwing stones at an Israeli patrol which was announcing the curfew in the camp.

Four Palestinians were shot dead in the continued clashes with the Israeli occupation forces which incurred in Gaza yesterday at dawn.

The correspondent of al-Jazeera TV in Gaza said that more than 20 tanks supported by armored vehicles and bulldozers under the cover of war helicopters broke into Gaza area and arrived al-Breij, al-Maghazi and al-Nuseirat camps and cordoned several houses and detained their people and arrested 6 Palestinians from al-Maghazi camp from one family.

Violent clashes took place between the Palestinians and the Israeli forces resulted in wounding two Israeli soldiers. Palestinian sources said that three Palestinians were wounded in the confrontation, noting that the Israeli bulldozers started leveling olive farms in the area.

Meantime, al-Aqsa martyrs group of the Fatah movement claimed responsibility for the killing of an Israeli settler working the Jordan valley in the West Bank, the Israeli police announced his loss on Wednesday.

One Israeli soldier was wounded following clashes that took place between the Israeli occupation forces and Palestinians in Toulkarem, the West Bank.

The Israeli forces also arrested the two Palestinians Muhammad Awad and Mutaz Abu Ayda in Ramullah under the pretext of resisting the occupation.

Previous Stories:
  Israel marks new year by demolishing two Palestinian houses   (1/2/2003)
  Israel bans Azmi Beshara from taking part in next Israeli Knesset elections   (1/2/2003)
  Israeli settlement with the Palestinians over releasing held money   (1/2/2003)
  Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, one under bombardemnt   (1/1/2003)

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