Israel assassinates Fatah official

Israeli troops yesterday assassinated Youssef Ahmad Abu Sewaya a prominent member of Fatah movement wanted by Israel.

Palestinian medical sources said that Israeli troops fired 22 bullets at Abu Sewaya while he was outside his home near Bethlehem. Abu Sewaya's death brought to 322 the number of Palestinian killed since the eruption of Intifada last September.

Three Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded in armed clashes with Palestinians in Gaza Strip. Four Israeli settlers were also wounded.

Meanwhile, US President Bill Clinton and resigned Israeli Premier Ehud Barak have discussed over the telephone the Middle East peace process and the latest development of the situation as regards confrontations between Palestinians and Israelis, the spokesman for the White House said.

" The phone call that the US President Clinton received from Barak also dealt with the latest political developments in Israel and the deteriorating situation in the Middle East area," he added.

" Clinton and Barak discussed Israel's request to obtain $ 450 million in the form of additional assistance," he said. Clinton pledged to keep on exerting strenuous efforts to get the approval of the Congress in this respect," he said.

Barak briefed Clinton on the outcome of his meeting Monday with former US Senator George Mitchell, chief of the fact-finding committee into bloody clashes between the Palestinians and Israelis which erupted more than nine weeks ago, he said.

Barak also briefed Clinton on circumstances and considerations that led him to tender his resignation, he added.

The 30-minute phone conversation, took place prior to Clinton's departure for Ireland.

On the other hand, Israeli sources said Barak had intensified his efforts to reach an agreement with Palestinians before elections in Israel. Within this framework, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami and head of Israeli Prime Minister Office Gilead Sher had talks with senior officials at the Palestinian Authority to consider resumption of peace talks, an Egyptian statement reported.