Israel continues attacking the Palestinians
The Israeli tanks on Sunday incurred for hundreds of meters inside Rafah and opened its fire at Palestinian houses and cars and institutions of the Palestinian authority. This resulted in wounding five Palestinians including one woman and a child.
News reports said that Belata camp near Nablus underwent an intensive artillery bombardment and the Israeli forces had carried out vast mopping up and inspection operations extended to Bakeer and al-Khuder villages, while several Palestinian youths were arrested under the pretext that they are taking part in the activities of the Intifada.
Meantime, an Israeli court in Jerusalem issued a note of arrest against the secretary of the "Fatah" movement in the West Bank Marwan al-Barghouthi under the pretext of planning operations against the Israeli forces. Sources of the Israeli court of Justice said that the court has sent this order to the Palestinian Authority to convey it to al-Barghouthi.
The Palestinians retaliated to the Israeli attacks by striking several Israeli positions and the Israeli side admitted that great damages were inflicted in the complex of " Ghoushe katieve " settlements when mortars were dropped on it and that many explosives were found near Natsareim settlement.
A spokesman for the Israeli army called on the settlers to use " armored " cars in their travel.
Meantime, the US secretary of state Colin Powell said that he is committed to reset a date to convene talks for ceasing fire between Israel and the Palestinians. He expressed to Sharon his hope that cease fire will be observed. Powell added that the US urges the two Israeli and Palestinian sides to convene a meeting between Peres and Arafat and to reset a new date for talks.
Arafat, for his part, warned that the Israeli authorities are investing this period of time the wold is passing following the attacks against the US in order to reoccupy the Palestinian territories.
In a speech he made in Rafah on Sunday Arafat said that Israel prevents Muslims and Christians from arriving in Jerusalem and al-Qeyamah church, noting that israel has recently arrested the Mufti of Jerusalem and earlier obstructed the investiture of the patriarch of Jerusalem..
Arafat, on the other hand, called for more national unity because the conflict with the Israelis is a conflict for existence, adding that the Palestinian question is the cause of the Arabs, Christians and Muslims, alike, and also an international issue.
Moreover, the Palestinian national resistance movement Hamas vowed continued struggle against the Israeli forces as far as occupation continued.
One of the Hamas leaders, Abdul Aziz al-Ranteisi said that the Palestinian resistance continues against the " Zionist terrorism."