Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops Saturday west of Gaza City, WAFA said. One of the dead was identified as Ashraf Nasrallah Abdullah al Mabith, 25. He was hit in his head and chest, the news agency added. The two were unarmed.
An Israeli spokesman said the Palestinians were shot as they approached the soldiers who suspected the men intended to set off an explosive charge.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat told a British newspaper in an interview published Saturday that "time is running out for the two-state solution," and blamed Israel's construction of the West Bank wall and its settlement policy.
Speaking to the Guardian daily, Arafat blamed Israel for the collapse of the government of his first prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. They "didn't give him anything," Arafat was quoted as saying. "No release of prisoners, nothing on the building of the wall, no lifting of the siege of the president."
Arafat also attacked Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's threat for a unilateral Israeli pullout in the West Bank, saying that such a move would not "solve their problem." He told the paper that the Palestinian leadership was still "committed to peace," and repeated the frequent Palestinian call for international intervention in the region. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
