After briefly lifting a curfew to allow students to take exams, Israeli soldiers stormed a Hebron college campus Tuesday, detaining 300 Palestinians for questioning.
At least seven students were taken away by the army and a number of the students were blindfolded, witnesses said of the Israeli operation.
Hundreds of Palestinians have also been detained for questioning and about 60 are still being held, military sources said Tuesday.
The Israeli army started Tuesday a partial call-up of reservists for its operations in the West Bank, Israel Radio reported. Officers and commanders are to be called up Tuesday with other soldiers to be called up by next week, it said, citing a senior officer.
Ha'aretz reported Monday that the Israeli army was planning another round of reservist call-ups for its operations in the West Bank. Last week a reserve infantry brigade was called up on emergency orders.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops returned to Qalqilyah on Tuesday afternoon, several hours after pulling out of the West Bank city and lifting the curfew, which was later put back in place.
In addition, the Israeli army raided the Palestinian village of Az-Zababida, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, early Tuesday, making searches and arrests, a Palestinian security source said.
The troops carried out house-to-house searches, rounding up about 30 Palestinians, the source said.
In Ramallah, Israeli tanks maintained their positions around Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters.
Responding to a statement by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who said U.S. officials would not meet with Arafat, the Palestinian National Council released a statement Tuesday expressing its "full, unconditional support and solidarity" with Arafat. The statement said Palestinian officials should "forbid meetings with foreign officials if they are not authorized by the (Palestinian) leadership."
In another development, officials in Arafat's office said the commander of Gaza police, Ghazi Jibali, has been dismissed.
In the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis, Palestinian security officials said Israel tanks and special forces captured six Palestinian border policemen in an incursion.
The Israelis told the men by loudspeaker to surrender, then took them back to Israel. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
