Israeli F-16 fighter bombers launched air raids on the West Bank town of Jenin Monday, to be followed by an Apache raid on Bethlehem, scarcely an hour after Israeli helicopters blasted Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's personal heliport in Gaza City, according to reports.
Witnesses told AFP that more than three missiles had slammed into targets in Jenin town, apparently hitting the police headquarters and the governor's building.
The Israeli army confirmed it had hit the targets but refused to say whether warplanes or combat helicopters had been used.
Israeli helicopters also attacked the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Palestinian security and hospital sources said.
Sixteen Palestinians were injured, Palestinian hospital officials told the agency, in what witnesses and security officials said was an Israeli helicopter strike on the West Bank town which was embracing for yet another sad Christmas.
However the army adamantly denied it had attacked the town south of Jerusalem.
"There was absolutely no military operation in Bethlehem tonight," an army spokeswoman said, as quoted by the agency.
US SENDS CONFLICTING SIGNALS AFTER GAZA STRIKE
The US said Israel has the right to defend itself, commenting on the massive missile attack on Gaza that caused severe damage to Arafat’s heliport. Meanwhile, Washington said that dialogue between Arafat and the Israelis must continue, said reports.
The attack on Gaza came exactly at the iftar (the meal breaking a Ramadan day-long fast,) seen by Palestinian officials as intended to cause as many human casualties as possible. Apache helicopters fired missiles Arafat's heliport in Gaza City, destroying two helicopters.
Colonel Abul Ola from the Palestinian police told Voice of Palestine Radio that two Palestinians were killed in the attacks. Scores of people were hurt, said reports.
The Palestinian Authority called on the United States to intervene following Israel's raids, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told Abu Dhabi television Monday.
"I spoke to the Americans minutes after the raids started ... They said they would do their best (to stop them), but didn't say more," Erekat said, as quoted by AFP.
"We told them we got their message and that we will do our utmost," said Erekat, referring to President George W. Bush's request to Arafat Sunday to hunt down those responsible for a string of weekend bombings in Israel.
However, as the Israeli strikes on Gaza began the White House said that "Israel has a right to defend itself."
Meanwhile, the White House was quoted by AFP as saying that Israel and Arafat must continue to pursue dialogue while emphasizing that the Palestinian leader must show "in deeds" that he wants peace.
"There is a real chance for Chairman Arafat to show the world, in deeds, he stands for peace," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters as Israeli helicopters pounded their targets in Gaza after a spate of weekend suicide bombings that killed more than two dozen Israelis.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and armored vehicles have descended en masse on Palestinian areas in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority said in a statement Monday, without giving further detail.
"The Israeli occupation forces have begun to concentrate numerous tanks, armored vehicles and troop carriers around towns and Palestinian villages," a Palestinian Authority spokesman told the official WAFA news agency.
Israel said the raid was a signal to the Palestinian leader to step up the fight against extremists.
Spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told CNN that "This attack ... was intended to send a very clear signal: either Arafat brings justice to these people and fights terrorism, or we will have to do it," said Raanan Gissin on CNN television.
BARGHOUTHI: RAIDS WILL NOT HALT INTIFADA
The de facto leader of the Palestinian Intifada against 34 years of Israelo occupation Marwan Barghouthi said after the raids that the uprising would not stop.
"This aggression has crossed red lines, but it will not cow the Palestinian people or put out the flames of the Intifada" which began in September 2000, Barghouthi, who is head of the mainstream Fateh movement in the West Bank, told Abu Dhabi satellite television, as quoted by AFP.
Barghouthi said Monday's raids, which follow a string of Palestinian bombings that killed two dozen Israelis over the weekend, were part of an "Israeli-American onslaught" aimed at ousting Arafat.
"We are witnessing pressures and an Israeli-American onslaught aimed at toppling President Arafat. But the Palestinian people are rallying around him," he said.
The use of military aircrafts against the Palestinians "won't bring security to (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon," Barghouthi said.
"Only an end to the occupation" can give Israel security, he added.
The attack on Arafat’s headquarters was seen by analysts speaking to Al Jazeera satellite channel as an attempt to humiliate the symbol of the Palestinian people.
Israeli Defense Minister was quoted by AFP as stressing that Israel has no intention to oust Arafat or topple his Palestinian Authority - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
