Israel severs contacts with Arafat, five Palestinians killed, 70 wounded
Five Palestinians were killed including one child and other 70 were wounded as the Israeli F 16 warplanes and military helicopters were launching most violent raids against the Palestinian cities especially Gaza and Ramullah and the Israeli tanks broke into the two cities and demolished several houses including the Palestinian radio and occupied the house of Marwan al-Barghouthi, the secretary of the Fatah movement in Ramullah, while the Israeli naval forces bombarded Deir al-Balah city and incurred in Rafah and Tel al-Sultan in Gaza..
In its emergency meeting held on Thursday, the mini Israeli cabinet stressed it will intensify military operations against the Palestinians.
The Israeli minister of the Interior Ozi Landao repeated his racist statements and described the Palestinians as insects that should be eliminated after drying the swaps they live in, in remarks to demolishing the Palestinian cities, villages and camps.
Israel on Thursday announced it has decided to sever all contacts with the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat which it accuses of not doing any thing to halt the Intifada.Israel also prevented Arafat from leaving Ramullah and this came after the emergency meeting for the mini Israeli cabinet chaired by Sharon.
A high ranking official at the US state department said that the decision of the Palestinian authority to close all offices of the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad immediately in the Palestinian territories is positive but not enough to meet the American demands.
The US official added that Washington expects from the chairman of the Palestinian authority to show total commitment to halt violence.
The French Foreign minister Hubert Vedrine considered it is a mistake not to deal with the Palestinian authority as a Partner in peace negotiations.
In a statement he made on Thursday Vedrine added " the Palestinian authority can not be given upon, if we seek peace." For his part the UN delegate to the ME Terry Rod Larsen said that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories has become very close to a comprehensive military confrontation.
In a statement to CNN Larsen added that the international community will be ready to help the Palestinians to move towards returning back to the talks with Israel, if the Palestinian authority will take measures to halt violence.