Israel, Palestinians Witness More Wave of Violence

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 04, 2002

Israel, Palestinians Witness More Wave of Violence

Ten Israelis were killed and six others were injured, four of them in serious condition, Sunday morning in a Palestinian shooting attack near the Jewish settlement of Ofra north of the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Palestinian Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military wing of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Palestinian suicide bombing attack to Israel

Ten Israelis were killed and six others were injured, four of them in serious condition, Sunday morning in a Palestinian shooting attack near the Jewish settlement of Ofra north of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

One more Israeli was killed in an explosion near an Israeli army position south of the Kissufim crossing in the Gaza Strip.

Less than one day ago, nine Israelis were killed and more than 50 others injured in a Palestinian suicide bombing attack in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem. Another one died of his wounds on Sunday.

All together, 21 Israelis were killed within 24 hours following four days of Israeli military operations in the Balata and Jenin refugee camps, two major Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. The Israeli attacks killed at least 30 Palestinians and injured more than 200 others. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in the operations.

The Israeli army said that the incursions and operations in the refugee camps were intended for hunting down Palestinian militants who sought shelter there and were suspected of preparing bombs and manufacturing weapons.

The army had refrained from such operations before for fear of possible large casualties that would cause to its forces.

The operations, however, turned out to be "successful" in terms of the low casualties on the Israeli side and as well as their achievements, but triggered strong condemnations from the Palestinians who vowed to take revenge if the Israeli troops did not end the actions.

PNA claims responsibility for attack

The Palestinian Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military wing of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The PNA has condemned the suicide attack, saying that it opposed any attacks on civilians, no matter they are Israelis or Palestinians.

Palestinians said that the suicide attack was in response to the Israeli military operations in the refugee camps.

In retaliation, Israeli troops shot dead on Sunday five Palestinians during air and ground raids on Palestinian towns in the West Bank, Palestinian radio reported.

The radio said that Israeli tanks entered into the main street of Qalqilya town in the West Bank and fired heavy gunfire at a Palestinian military intelligence post in the outskirts of the town.

Israel's harsher responses to attack

Israeli F-16 warplanes Sunday also attacked a Palestinian police station near the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, causing severe damage to the building, shortly after the shooting attack on an Israeli army checkpoint north of the city.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli helicopters also fired missiles at a Palestinian police headquarters in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Palestinian security sources said.

For their part, Israeli rightists stepped up their call for harsher responses to the deadly Palestinian attacks. Israeli Minister without Portfolio Danny Naveh from the Likud Party said on Sunday that the government had to take a decision "to put an end to Arafat's regime."

Reserve general Effie Eitam, who is viewed as a possible future leader of the religious right, said that if the government did not take a decision to destroy the PNA, "we will bring a war upon ourselves."

A military solution had to precede a diplomatic one, Eitam said, adding that "more force, and more force -- as much force as we have" was needed to defeat the Palestinians.

17 months of violence between Israel and Palestinian

During the more than 17 months of violence between the two sides, attacks and reprisals seem to have become a pattern of development and both the Israelis and Palestinians have some justification for their attacks, which perpetuates the bloody conflict.

However, it is widely known that there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Transport Minister Ephraim Sneh pointed out on Sunday that ultimately, the dispute between the two peoples would only be settled around the table.

"A military solution won't end this," he stressed.

Despite the self-evident argument, both Israelis and Palestinians have been quite reluctant to take steps needed for a ceasefire and the reversal of the worsening development of the situation.

It is expected that Israeli and Palestinian leaders can make wise and cool-headed decisions to avoid a further escalation of the situation and further sufferings to people on both sides.

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