Four Palestinian security men were killed in intense street fighting in Ramallah Thursday, as a senior aide to Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was quoted as saying that Israeli forces would soon pull back from Palestinian cities as a part of upcoming negotiations with U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni, set to arrive later in the day for his third truce attempt in four months.
Early Thursday, three Israeli soldiers were killed and two injured when a huge bomb exploded near a tank in the central Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim.
Killings
Palestinian security officials said four members of PA security forces were killed in street fighting with Israeli troops early Thursday in Ramallah, the focus of the broad Israeli offensive.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Army Radio Thursday quoted an unnamed senior official in Sharon's office as saying "Israeli forces will agree to withdraw its force from Palestinian cities ... as a part of the negotiations with Zinni."
Israeli tanks meanwhile drove deeper into Bethlehem Thursday, with some taking up positions about 250 meters from Manger Square.
Three Israeli soldiers were killed and two injured early Thursday when a huge bomb exploded near a tank in the central Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim
The bomb hit a mixed Israeli civilian-military convoy on the road from Karni crossing to the settlement. The bomb was placed next to a mosque near Netzarim, and Palestinians apparently hid behind the mosque, setting off the device by remote control, Israel Radio reported.
The radio said the bomb damaged a tank in the convoy, which it said went up in flames.
In a statement sent to the Reuters, a coalition of Palestinian groups claimed responsibility for the bombing attck. The groups comprising the coalition were the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, the Salahudin Brigade which unites activists mainly from Fatah, and the Islamic movement Hamas.
One Israeli soldier was killed outright by the blast and two others burned alive in a blazing tank, it said. Two Israeli soldiers were moderately injured in the incident.
Zinni Visit
US Secretary of State Colin Powell held telephone talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Wednesday on the eve of a mission to the region by US envoy Anthony Zinni, WAFA reported.
During the conversation, Powell told Arafat that Zinni "was coming to apply the Tenet plan and the Mitchell report," Nabil Abu Rudeina, Arafat’s aide said.
In addition, Powell told Arafat that a "Palestinian state with recognized borders was the aim of the United States," Abu Rudeina added.
In arelated development, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP Wednesday the mission of Zinni has “no hope” of succeeding while Israel continues to occupy Ramallah.
"The Israeli government's decision to reoccupy Ramallah leaves no hope of success for Zinni's mission," Erekat said.
"It is evident that (Israeli Prime Minister) Sharon is determined to destroy Zinni's efforts before they have even started," he added. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
