Islamic Jihad Activist Survives Israeli Attack: Palestinian SourcesA local head of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad Sunday morning survived a bombing attack allegedly carried out by Israeli army near the West Bank city of Jenin, Israel Radio quoted Palestinian sources as saying.Abdel Ahmed Muhammad Bisharat, 25, was driving his car in the West Bank village of Tamun near Jenin, some 80 kilometers north of Jerusalem, while a road-side bomb "set up by Israelis" exploded. Bisharat was unhurt in the alleged attack, according to the sources, adding that an Israeli spotter plane was hovering in the area during the operation. A Israeli army spokesman denied commenting on the incident. Since the violence between Israel and the Palestinians broke out late last September, the Palestinians claimed that Israeli army had used missiles and bombs to kill at least 30 Palestinian officials or activists of the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced a ceasefire 10 days ago in which the army will refrain from launching initiated operations like assassinations. Over 570 people had been killed in the violence, most of them Palestinians, and thousands wounded. However, after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up and killed 18 persons, mostly teenage girls, in front of a disco in Tel Aviv Friday night, mounting Israeli public pressure urged Sharon to take retaliation measures. The Islamic Jihad organization initially took the responsibility of the suicide bombing, but later withdrew the announcement. |
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