Sharon to meet with the US president today
US President George Bush is to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today.
Meantime the Israeli artillery on Monday bombarded several Palestinian towns and villages in the framework of its open war against the unarmed Palestinian civilians. The Israeli bombardment targeted a Palestinian women demonstration in Ramullah in which member of the palestinian Legislative council Hanan Ashrawi was wounded. Several Palestinians were wounded when the Israeli forces were dispersing demonstrations in Ramullah, Jerusalem, Turmous village and the cities of Nablus and hebron and various areas in Gaza.
The Israeli forces broke into the village of Marda in Salfeit and broke into several houses and then a vast campaign of arrest followed among the Palestinians at charges of taking part in the Intifada.
The Israeli forces also tightened the siege on the city of Bethlehem and its surrounding after the killing of an israeli settler near " Neve Daniel" settlement and carried out an inspection and detention campaign in al-Khuder village, Nablus and the villages of Ramullah, Bethlehem and Hebron covered more than 10 Palestinian youths.
News reports said the Israeli forces installed more barriers on the roads linking the areas of the West bank following the escalation of the palestinian demonstration and wounding of one Israeli soldier near " Nahal Aouz" settlement.
In retaliation to the Israeli attacks, the Arab youths threw stones at the Israeli armored vehicles in the areas of Ramullah and the Israeli General Beini Dan, the commander of the Israeli army in the West bank threatened to increase the oppressive acts and tightening the economic and military siege. He added that " instructions were given to the Israeli army to chase the Palestinians every where."
The Israeli deputy prime minister Seilfan Shaloum also threatened to strike the Palestinian resistance, noting that the negotiations will not be resumed unless the Intifada is completely halted.
Meantime, a report published by a Palestinian People's committee with Bethlehem as a headquarters withstanding the Israeli settlement policy said that the Israeli occupation authorities are planning to build 86,000 new settlement units in various already established 153 settlements in the West Bank besides other 15 settlements in the surrounding of occupied Jerusalem.
The report said that number of settler increased during the first five months of the year 2000 in the already established settlements on the territories of the West Bank at 8% to reach 203,000 settlers. According to the same report the length of the settlement ring-road in the West Bank reached 557 Kilometers.
The report of the committee indicated that the Israeli forces destroyed since 1967 until 1999 some 2468 Palestinian houses in various parts of the West bank apart from the city of Jerusalem. The chairman of the people's committee in Bethlehem Khaled al-Ezza said that the dangerous settlement plans aim to confiscating more territories of the Palestinian citizens.