Two Palestinians killed, al-Aqsa group kills one hireling for Israel
Palestine-Israel, Military, 2/14/2004

Israel raised the state of alert in the lines of its forces for fears of Palestinian operations after receiving threats from Palestinian resistance groups to retaliate the massacre it had committed in Gaza last Wednesday.

The Israeli fears were enhanced after the vow made by the resistance groups to "painfully and quickly retaliated the massacre and the 40 (killed)," warning of a Palestinian intention to carry out attacks.

The Israeli police yesterdays placed restrictions on the arrival of Muslims to al-Aqsa mosque to perform Friday prayers of fears of any demonstrations to follow the prayers. Entry to the mosque was confined to persons above 45 years old from the West Bank and Gaza, the Palestinians of 1948 lands and people of East Jerusalem.

Israel has also placed its forces in all parts of Israel in a state of alert after Hamas vowed to revenge the killing of 15 Palestinians in two Israeli raids at al-Shuja'eyah area in Gaza and Rafah camp.

In a Palestinian demonstration in Gaza, attended by thousands of Palestinians in Jabalia camp in Gaza, the leading figure of Hamas, Abdul Aziz al-Ranteisi, threatened that Israel will pay a heavy price for its crimes. The demonstrators chanted slogans demanding Hamas to revenge and continue resistance operations inside the green line.

Also in Gaza, the Palestinian authority transferred the trial of four Palestinians suspected to be involved in blowing up an American diplomatic vehicle in Gaza from a military court to a civilian court, following American criticism and people's protests.

In Qabatya town which is close to Jenin in the West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces killed one Palestinian farmer called Ahmad Nazzal ( 28 year old).

The Israeli occupation forces also announced the death of one Palestinian resistance activist ( Muhammad Jleita ) because of his wounds following an exchange of fire by the beginning of this month in Areiha. He died in an Israeli hospital.

The Israeli occupation forces detained 10 Palestinians in various areas of the West Bank yesterday at dawn.

In another development, al-Aqsa group of the Palestinian Liberation movement (Fatah ) said that it had killed one Palestinian suspected to be dealing with the occupation forces in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In a statement, the group said it killed Khaled Abu Assal ( 28 year old) after admitting he had helped the Israeli intelligence to trace its activists.

At the political level, diplomatic sources said that Washington will send two delegates to Israel next week to make talks that are considered important for an American decision on whether Washington will support the plan of the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to remove the settlements from Gaza. The sources added that the American delegates will try to get a commitment from Sharon to change plans regarding of the Israeli wall of separation. The American delegation includes the senior official at the national security council Eliot Abrams, the deputy chairperson of the national security Steven Hadly and the Department Of State under secretary William Burns.

Meantime, some 22 independent Arab intellectual called on the US President not to meet Sharon and described Sharon in an open message addressed to Bush as the main bottleneck before peace. Among signatories of the message are member of the Iraqi governing council Baher al-Oloum, the Palestinian intellectual Azmi Beshara and others from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Lebanon. N.

Previous Stories:
  Israel kills 13 Palestinians in Gaza, resistance vows retaliation   (2/12/2004)
  Hamas vows to revenge the killing of one of its leaders; Israel seeks to transport Gaza settlers to the West Bank   (2/7/2004)
  Israel kill one Palestinian, detain 30; Palestinian police commander survives assassination   (2/6/2004)
  Preparations for Sharon- Qrei summit, Sharon studies referendum to dismantle settlements   (2/5/2004)
  Egyptian judge to participate in International Court of Justice case on Israeli wall   (2/4/2004)
  Yediot Ahronot: Shalom expects the fall of Sharon government   (2/4/2004)

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