One Israeli soldier was killed and another seriously wounded Monday in Nablus during a day of fierce gunbattles that also saw two Palestinian boys killed by Israeli fire.
The Israeli was killed when Palestinians opened fire on an army position in the city, which is under strict curfew. In response to the shootings, an Israeli tank fired two shells at a house identified by soldiers as the source of the gunfire. As a result of the shelling, a house was hit and a fire broke out.
Ttwo Palestinian boys were killed Monday by Israeli fire. Palestinian sources said that a 13-year-old Rami al Barbara was shot dead in the Balata refugee camp adjacent to the city. Several hours later, gunfire broke out in downtown Nablus. Palestinian security officials said 10-year-old Mahmoud al Za'alul was killed by Israeli fire.
Some 25 Palestinian residents of the city were also injured in the exchanges of fire.
In a report released Monday by Amnesty International, the London-based human rights said both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have allowed children to be killed during the two-year conflict.
In the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, a 43-year-old Palestinian woman was comatose after two Israeli tank shells hit her home, doctors and her brother said. Palestinians said the shells were fired without provocation.
Arafat compound
Israeli security officials on Sunday night denied claims made by Palestinians that most of the wanted men holed up inside Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah left the building after the Israeli army's withdrawal from the compound.
Palestinian sources said that the men who left the compound were armed body guards and junior Fatah activists.
Israeli security officials told Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is in Moscow for a two-day visit, that most of the senior wanted men who were under siege, among them Palestinian intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi and Force 17 commander Mohammed Damra, did not leave Arafat's office.
Israeli security officials said that the senior wanted men remained in area for fear that they would be detained by Israel when they leave it.
Israeli sources told Haaretz that following the redeployment, the army was incapable of stopping and checking most of the people leaving the compound. Several armed Palestinians have already left the compound without being stopped, the sources conveyed.
"We are talking about approximately 18 people who are in the compound who have direct involvement in organizing and conducting terror activities.... Some of them have blood on their hands," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled told The Associated Press.
He said some others inside "may be wanted for interrogation," but Israel did not know the identities of all in the compound.
Meanwhile, Arafat issued a proclamation repeating "full commitment with all cease-fire decisions," though his aides have often said that his ability to control armed Palestinian factions is limited.
Arafat adviser Nabil Abu Rdeneh said that Arafat would resume consultations on appointing a new Cabinet to replace the ministers forced to resign earlier this month. "Definitely, there should be a new Cabinet as soon as possible," the aide said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
