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- RAMALLAH - Israeli attack
helicopters struck Palestinian targets in the West Bank and the Palestinian
Authority has declared war.
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- Palestinian Authority officials said that hours after
four Israeli soldiers were killed by a Palestinian mob in Ramallah Israeli
attack helicopters struck targets in Gaza. They said the police headquarters
in Gaza City near the office of PA chairman Yasser Arafat was leveled.
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- Arafat's private home in Gaza was also struck, witnesses
said.
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- PA officials said Arafat has declared war on Israel.
At 1550 hours local time [0850 hours EST] PA radio issued a communique
that declared war on Israel and called on the Arab and international community
to help the Palestinians.
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- PA officials said helicopters also flew over the Arafat's
headquarters in Gaza as he was meeting with CIA director George Tenet.
Tenet had arrived to restore security cooperation between Israel and the
PA.
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- In Ramallah, witnesses said Cobra helicopters targeted
PA security installations in the West Bank city some four hours after the
Israeli soldiers were killed. The main target appeared to be the police
station where the Israeli soldiers were stabbed and beaten to death by
a mob.
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- Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah was also targeted,
witnesses said.
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- PA radio said five Palestinians were injured in the Israeli
attack. The radio urged Palestinians to stay off the streets.
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- Earlier, PA officials denied reports that Israeli Chief
of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz had warned PA commanders that an attack was
imminent on security installations in Ramallah.
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- Witnesses said PA radio in Ramallah was also struck.
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- PALESTINIANS RIDICULE ISRAELI THREAT; ARAFAT FACES INTERNAL
DIVISIONS
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- Middle East Newsline - October 12, 2000 - RAMALLAH -
The Palestinian Authority has dismissed Israeli threats to launch a military
offensive as officials appear divided over their next step in the confrontation
against Israel.
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- PA officials ridiculed the Israeli Cabinet's decision
to delay an ultimatum issued by Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The officials
said that despite his tough rhetoric Barak is being deterred by Arab and
Palestinian retaliation as well as international sanctions.
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- "It's very strange you know when somebody tells
you 'If you don't become my partner in 24 hours I will kill you,'"
PA International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath said. "You expect
the Palestinians to be intimidated. We want peace with Israelis. But that
peace can't come through intimidation."
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- The PA dismissal of Israeli threats come as a dispute
has arisen within the Palestinian leadership. Palestinian sources said
the dispute concerns the next step in the confrontation against Israel.
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- Some PA officials want the Palestinians to declare a
state unilaterally as they intensify the violence in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip. The officials are urging PA Chairman Yasser Arafat that virtually
the entire international community, with the exception of the United States,
would recognize the state.
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- PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan said Palestinian security
cooperation with Israel is dead. Dahlan told a Gaza news conference on
Monday that the PA would continue its resistance against Israel regardless
of the price in casualties.
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- "We know that we will pay a price for this resistance
in martyrs and injured," Dahlan said.
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- Over the weekend, Arafat's Fatah party issued a communique
calling for an increase in attacks against Israel. The communique was said
to have angered PA officials who said the communique was not coordinated
with the Palestinian leadership.
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- PA officials said they don't rule out renewed talks with
Israel. But they said the PA would not stop Palestinian violence against
Israel and called for attacks on Jewish settlers.
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- "Every Jewish settler equals a terrorist target,"
PA minister Hassan Asfour said.
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- On Tuesday, about 200 Fatah gunmen marched through the
West Bank city of Nablus. The gunmen pledged to attack Jewish settlers.
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- Overnight, Israeli and Palestinian gunmen exchanged fire
throughout the West Bank. Firefights were reported in Gaza, Hebron, Bethlehem,
Ramallah, Nablus and Kalkilya. Palestinian sources said four Palestinians
were killed and 100 were injured over the last 36 hours.
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- Officials said the PA has embraced the Islamic opposition.
On Sunday night, the PA Cabinet convened an emergency session attended
by representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. This, as the PA released
seven more Hamas detainees.
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- "It was agreed during the meetings to discuss sufficient
means to raise the uprising level and to confront the challenges,"
Hamas spokesman Ismail Abu > Shanab said.
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