A Palestinian teenager on Tuesday was shot dead by an Israeli sniper in the Old City of Nablus. According to Palestinian sources, 17-year old Salim Omar Salim al Kusa was hit by bullets in his chest.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that Israeli troops stormed the West Bank city and wounded three Palestinians.
Local sources said that Israeli soldiers backed by tanks, personnel carriers and US-made Apache helicopters rolled into al-Dowar area, in the center of the city, and opened heavy machine gunfire and gas-tear canisters at civilians and their houses.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli soldiers launched a house-to-house search campaign in local houses, adding that Israeli forces broke into several buildings and turned them into military posts.
Also in the West Bank, Israeli troops wounded early Tuesday a child in the refugee camp of Tulkarem and arrested a civilian in Bethlehem, witnesses said.
Local witnesses said that 9-year-old Jihad Balawneh was shot and wounded by Israeli soldiers, who stormed the camp amid heavy shooting at local houses.
In the meantime, Israeli soldiers stormed al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem and arrested Ali Salah, 24, after besieging his house, leading him into an undisclosed spot, witnesses told WAFA.
Earlier, three Israeli settlers were lightly injured Tuesday morning from shrapnel after Palestinians opened fire on a bus travelling near the West Bank settlement of "Barkan."
The attackers opened fire on the bus and on several vehicles behind it, but the cars managed to escape, Haaretz said.
Israeli soldiers at the site of the shooting located four Kalashnikov magazines and the remains of an explosive device. Fatah's al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed credit for the attack.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Palestinians fired three rockets at the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning. No one was injured.
Palestinian sources reported Monday that a 12-year-old boy who was shot by Israeli soldiers on Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip died of his wounds. The boy was shot in a refugee camp near Khan Yunis.
In another incident, eight Palestinians were arrested and a woman was wounded by Israeli soldiers in the town of al-Qarara, south of Gaza, witnesses and Palestinian medical sources said.
Arafat
On the political front, President Yasser Arafat reiterated Tuesday that the Palestinian leadership was still committed to peace as strategic choice, calling on the world to end the Israeli "crimes" against the Palestinian people.
In a speech before the "Islamic-Christian Conference", held in the besieged Ramallah presidential HQs, Arafat said that the PA leadership was still committed to the choice of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace which ensures security and stability for both Palestinian and Israeli peoples.
"We extend our hand to our Israeli neighbours and invite them to dialogue and negotiations for achieving peace," Arafat said, according to WAFA.
Arafat called on the "advocates of peace and democracy in the world" to end the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.
He called for ending Israel's policy of "colonization and the construction of the Apartheid Wall inside the Palestinian land," and expulsion of the Palestinian people, recalling the speech of Pope John Paul II who urged building bridges of love and trust rather than a wall.
The Palestinian leader pointed out that the Palestinian people face daily Israeli "atrocious mass killing, assassinations, and pre-planned destruction of public establishments."
He highlighted the Israeli threats against Palestinian Christian and Islamic Holy places and the destruction of archeological sites. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
