An Israeli soldier suffered moderate wounds Sunday afternoon when he was shot in the Gaza Strip by a Palestinian sniper firing from Khan Yunis, Israel Radio reported.
The soldier was shot in the leg and arm as he was guarding the entrance to a military base in the Gush Katif settlement bloc.
Three armed Palestinians were arrested late Saturday by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza Strip. The three were reportedly heavily armed with automatic rifles and trying to enter Rafah from Egypt. Seven other Palestinians were also arrested in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the British Observer newspaper reported Sunday that Tony Blair would press Palestinian leader into making widespread reforms of the Palestinian Authority as part of international efforts to revive the Middle East peace process.
Britain will host a conference of senior Palestinian leaders in London on 14 January, the newspaper said.
The agenda will be dominated by the issue of reform of the PA. Among those expected to attend are William Burns, the U.S. envoy to the region, Russia and the European Union.
On his part, Israel's Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz assailed Sunday Britain for making plans to convene the international conference about Palestinian reform.
"The Palestinians have no intentions of carrying out real reform, but to score points in the international community, and Britain is helping them do so," Mofaz said at the weekly cabinet meeting, according to Israel's Army Radio. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
