Members of al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades vowed revenge Monday for the assassination of a Fatah activist on Sunday near Bethlehem.
Muhammad Abayat was killed Sunday evening when a public telephone exploded in his hand. The Israeli army did not confirm or deny that it killed Abayat, but Israeli officials voiced "satisfaction" over his killing, claiming he had been implicated in many anti-Israeli attacks.
Palestinian sources said Sunday night that the victim was not the real target, and that Israel wanted to get his older brother, Nasser, the current comander of the Fatah military wing in Bethlehem area.
In other developments, Palestinian sources reported that Israeli tanks entered the Dir el Balah refugee camp early Monday morning. According to the sources, no injuries have been reported in this southern Gaza Strip area.
Elsewhere, Israeli troops Sunday night spotted, shot at and injured a Palestinian near the Jewish settlement of Sanur in the West Bank.
According to Israel Radio, the Palestinian attempted to infiltrate the settlement the soldiers were guarding. The man was moderately-seriously injured, the radio said.
Also in the West Bank, Palestinians opened fire on Israeli soldiers operating near the Balata refugee camp in the Nablus region. No injuries were reported by the Israeli media.
Also during Sunday night, Palestinians threw grenades, launched mortar shells and opened fire on army outposts and Jewish settlements throughout Gush Katif bloc, in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli reports. No one was injured in any of these attacks.
Israeli soldiers apprehended early Monday 13 Palestinians throughout the West Bank. According to Israel Radio, the men were members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements.
PA, Hamas
Senior Fatah members are to hold further talks with leading figures from Hamas, according to senior Palestinian Authority official, Nabil Shaath. Speaking to the Voice of Palestine radio station, Shaath said Monday that the talks would be held in one of the Gulf States.
Shaath added, however, that the meeting would only be held after the killers of a senior PA policeman in Gaza last week – believed to be members of Hamas - were handed over for trial. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
