Israeli occupation forces are redeployed in Rafah
Palestine-Israel, Military, 5/21/2004

News reports said that the Israeli occupation forces withdrew partially from Tel- al-Sultan and al-Brazil quarters in Rafah camp for the refugees leaving behind huge demonstration in residential areas and more than 55 killed persons.

The Israeli forces incurred in the first hours today in the camp where the Israeli bulldozers and military vehicles demolished more than 30 houses in Tel al-Sultan quarters and scores of houses in al-Salaam and al-Brazil quarters.

The Israeli occupation forces since Monday evening are carrying out a large scale operation in Rafah alleged that its aim is to search for tunnels to smuggle weapons through the borders with Egypt.

The Israeli forces detained 13 persons including a 13- year old boy to join other 60 Palestinians who were arrested in the past days in Rafah camp.

In Jenin, in the west, the occupation forces arrested more than 40 citizens in a campaign of breaking in and inspection in the city's camp and the clashes resulted in wounding gravely a high ranking Israeli army officer.

On the other hand, a Palestinian medical source announced that one Palestinian youth died on Thursday evening because of his wounds he had on May 11 during an operation carried out by the occupation army in Gaza. The source said that Eyad Affanah ( 15 year old) was seriously wounded in the head during the operation in al-Zeitoun quarters to the south east of Gaza.

The number of Palestinians killed in Rafah camp increased to nine including Khaled Abdul Karim Abu Anza ( 35 year old), one of the leader of Ezz Eddine al-Qassam group, the military wing of the Hamas movement. Scores of wounded were also reported in a critical situation while the number of the killed Palestinians tolled 56 since the beginning of the invasion.

Thousands of Palestinians eulogized funerals for 7 out of 15 Palestinians killed on Wednesday in the peaceful march in the city.

In Qalqilya, Mazin Yaasin -- commander of the military wing of the Hamas movement in the city -- was killed during the invasion of the city, while one Palestinian youth was killed in al-Fawar camp near Hebron city in confrontation by stones with the occupation forces.

At the political level, the Israeli radio said that the legal advisor for the government asked the army to seek an alternative plan to expand Philadelphia crossing. The radio said that the legal advisor Menachaem Mazoz took part in a meeting dedicated to this issue yesterday, attended by representatives for the army. The army noted that any government decision was not taken yet over the issue of expanding the crossing.

The occupation forces since last Tuesday dislocated more than 1000 Palestinian after it had destroyed more than 88 houses, according to UNRWA. In London, the British foreign office secretary Jack Straw condemned the Israeli bombardment operations which resulted in killing more than 20 Palestinian civilians. He expressed in a press statement in London his support to sending UN forces to the occupied territories but under the conditions of the consent of the two sides.

Previous Stories:
  Some 12 Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardment on Rafah   (5/18/2004)
  Bombardment of Fatah quarters in Gaza; Five Palestinians killed in clashes   (5/17/2004)
  Occupation forces destroy Rafah to expand Philadelphia axis   (5/15/2004)
  Some 71% of the Israelis support withdrawals from Gaza   (5/15/2004)
  Qurei' announces readiness of the Palestinians for serious negotiations   (5/11/2004)
  Bishara and the American Support to Israel   (4/26/2004)

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