Israeli troops foiled early Thursday an attempt to infiltrate into the Gush Katif settlement of Slav, in the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli media reports said. The Palestinian attacker was wounded and captured.
According to the Israeli reports, he used a ladder to cross the fences surrounding the settlement, and fired at an occupation post in the area. Soldiers returned fire and the Palestinian injured his hand with a grenade he was holding. He was carrying a Kalashnikov rifle, four magazines and four fragmentation grenades.
Israeli forces arrested 22 Palestinians Wednesday night.
Elsewhere, Israeli forces destroyed the homes of two Palestinian activists in Beit Fajar and Qabatya.
Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) denied Wednesday that he recently met Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, as reported by a British publication.
The periodical "Foreign Report" said Abbas, who is Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's top deputy, met with Sharon at the latter's ranch.
However, Abbas said, "There is no basis of truth to this fabricated report," adding, "If there were such meetings, I would have declared it publicly, because I do not fear meetings."
Abu Mazen told AP the story was concocted to give the impression that there were diplomatic contacts between the two sides, when "the only fact on the ground is the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian leadership and its people." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
