An Israeli soldier was killed Sunday afternoon in a shooting attack close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in the West Bank city of Hebron. Two Palestinian fighters fled the scene of the attack in the direction of the Old City, but were killed later by Israeli forces, Israeli press reports said.
Earlier, three Palestinian fighters attacked an Israeli army post on the edge of the Gaza Strip early Sunday, killing four Israeli troops before being killed by Israeli troops.
Israel public radio added at least six Israeli soldiers were hit in the shooting.
Israeli radio said the Palestinians, dressed like Israeli soldiers, entered an Israeli-run industrial zone at the Erez (Beit Hanoun) border crossing under, shortly after dawn, and opened fire on Israeli troops and civilians in the compound.
Three Palestinian groups - Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - issued a joint statement claiming responsibility for the Gaza attack. A leaflet gave the names of the attackers - Muhammed Yusuf Abu Beid, 21 (Hamas), Rami Muhammed AlBik, 22 (Islamic Jihad) and Musa Ibrahim Sahwil, 22 (Fatah).
"This joint operation was committed to confirm our people's united choice of holy war and resistance until the end of occupation over our land and holy places," the leaflet said. It added that the attackers left from Beit Hanoun, which is currently under Israeli occupation.
A top Hamas official, Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi, said the attack was intended to send a message to the Palestinian leadership that Palestinians will continue to fight Israel and will not "surrender to the pressure exerted by Israel and the United States of America." "We are unified in the trenches of resistance," he said.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the violence must not derail peace efforts and that the United States would support Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas in an effort to rein in armed groups. "Now we have to give him the capacity and capability" to resist the anti-Israeli attackers, Powell said.
Israel demanded Abbas immediately begin arresting Palestinian activist, dismantling their organizations and disarming them. On his part, Abbas said he would resist pressure to crack down on the armed groups and would continue efforts to talk with them. "We will not allow anybody to drag us into a civil war," Abbas said Sunday.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said Israel provoked the attacks by continuing restrictions on Palestinians and killing two Hamas militants Thursday night near the West Bank city of Tulkarem.
"This requires an immediate discussion with the Palestinian factions to bring an end to the fighting and there is an effort from all sides to make sure that this happens," Shaath said.
In a separate incident, Israeli forces killed another Palestinian fighter in an exchange of gunfire in the Gaza Strip late Saturday.
Late on Saturday the Israeli army reimposed its tight closure over the West Bank, following warnings of attacks planned by Palestinian groups. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
