Seraphim
08-30-2003, 01:31 PM
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20030830/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians_431
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030830/capt.1062246732.mideast_israel_palestinians_jrl104.jpg
By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli helicopters fired four missiles at a van traveling in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) on Saturday, killing a Hamas field commander and his assistant, hospital officials and witnesses said.
The van had been moving slowly in heavy traffic — turning from a side road onto a main highway between two refugee camps, Nusseirat and Bureij — when it was hit and burst into flames, witnesses said.
Also Saturday, an official loyal to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) refused to step down from his post after the Cabinet, run by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, voted to replace him. It was seen as the latest in a power struggle between Abbas, who has the backing of the United States, and Arafat.
Arafat has repeatedly tried to undermine Abbas and the prime minister's authority has faded rapidly with the escalating violence. Saturday's missile strike seemed likely to further hurt his efforts to implement the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan toward Palestinian statehood.
Two male bystanders, ages 40 and 45, were wounded by shrapnel in the missile strike, hospital officials said. Angry crowds gathered quickly around the car, chanting "God is great."
It was the fifth Israeli missile attack on a Hamas target in 10 days, apparently part of Israel's campaign against members of Palestinian militant groups.
"I was riding my bicycle toward my shop when I heard the sound of F-16s circling over my head," said a witness, Balal, who refused to give his last name. "Suddenly I saw the car coming from the side of the street, and a missile came and hit the car from the front, followed by another two."
He said a man who jumped from the Peugeot van was killed by a fourth missile. The other man in the car was "completely burned," he said.
Hospital officials identified the dead as Abdullah Akel, 37, and his assistant, Farid Mayet, 40. Akel was known as a leading field commander of the Hamas military wing in central Gaza. He had been jailed for his membership in Hamas during the first Palestinian uprising, between 1987 and 1993.
The Israeli army said Akel had fired mortar shells and homemade Qassam rockets at Israeli towns and Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, and was preparing to fire more rockets when he was killed.
Hamas members fired a Qassam rocket at the Israeli town of Ashkelon last week, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) to order the military to take all steps to stop the attacks.
Dozens of Hamas activists gathered around the hospital in the Deir el-Balah refugee camp, vowing to avenge the latest strike. Palestinian boys stood on the pickup truck's rear roof, chanting "Hamas."
Israel stepped up its campaign against militants after an Aug. 19 Hamas suicide bombing on a Jerusalem bus that killed 21 people. Since then, Israel has killed 10 Hamas militants.
After the first two missile strikes, Hamas issued leaflets urging its members to wear disguises and move about less frequently to avoid becoming targets. Hamas leaders have turned off their cell phones and have largely stopped appearing at public events.
The Jerusalem suicide bombing, combined with Israel's missile strikes, has left the "road map" peace plan in tatters and destroyed a cease-fire that militant group declared on June 29.
Hamas has vowed to avenge the Israeli missile strikes, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group loosely affiliated with Yasser Arafat's Fatah (news - web sites) movement, said a West Bank shooting attack it carried out on Friday was in revenge for Israeli "assassinations." A Jewish settler was killed in that shooting, and his pregnant wife was wounded.
Abbas has said Israel's missile strikes make it virtually impossible for him to crack down on militant groups — a demand in the peace plan — and his power is rapidly dissipating.
In Gaza, the head of the general personnel council, Mohammed Abu Sharia, refused to leave his post, and dozens of armed men surrounded his office in a show of support. Some carried pictures of a smiling Arafat flashing the victory sign.
The Cabinet replaced Abu Sharia, an Arafat ally, with Sakher Basseso on Wednesday. The general personnel council, a key administrative body, oversees Palestinian staff.
"I spoke with President Arafat and he told me, 'You stay in your place. No one can push you out,'" Abu Sharia said.
Basseso, governor of the northern Gaza Strip, didn't show up Saturday and refused to comment when reached by phone.
Arafat reluctantly appointed Abbas, his deputy in the PLO, to be the Palestinians' first prime minister in April under heavy pressure from Israel and the United States. They have refused to deal with Arafat and want an alternative leader.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Christians gathered at a monastery in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Saturday to pray for peace. They called on Israel to halt construction of a fence that will cut through the West Bank with trenches, walled sections and coils of razor wire. Israel says the fence is meant to keep out suicide bombers.
Israel has finished construction of the first 90-mile stretch, which straddles the line between Israel and the northern West Bank. Israel plans to extend the barrier along the entire West Bank.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030830/capt.1062246732.mideast_israel_palestinians_jrl104.jpg
By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli helicopters fired four missiles at a van traveling in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) on Saturday, killing a Hamas field commander and his assistant, hospital officials and witnesses said.
The van had been moving slowly in heavy traffic — turning from a side road onto a main highway between two refugee camps, Nusseirat and Bureij — when it was hit and burst into flames, witnesses said.
Also Saturday, an official loyal to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) refused to step down from his post after the Cabinet, run by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, voted to replace him. It was seen as the latest in a power struggle between Abbas, who has the backing of the United States, and Arafat.
Arafat has repeatedly tried to undermine Abbas and the prime minister's authority has faded rapidly with the escalating violence. Saturday's missile strike seemed likely to further hurt his efforts to implement the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan toward Palestinian statehood.
Two male bystanders, ages 40 and 45, were wounded by shrapnel in the missile strike, hospital officials said. Angry crowds gathered quickly around the car, chanting "God is great."
It was the fifth Israeli missile attack on a Hamas target in 10 days, apparently part of Israel's campaign against members of Palestinian militant groups.
"I was riding my bicycle toward my shop when I heard the sound of F-16s circling over my head," said a witness, Balal, who refused to give his last name. "Suddenly I saw the car coming from the side of the street, and a missile came and hit the car from the front, followed by another two."
He said a man who jumped from the Peugeot van was killed by a fourth missile. The other man in the car was "completely burned," he said.
Hospital officials identified the dead as Abdullah Akel, 37, and his assistant, Farid Mayet, 40. Akel was known as a leading field commander of the Hamas military wing in central Gaza. He had been jailed for his membership in Hamas during the first Palestinian uprising, between 1987 and 1993.
The Israeli army said Akel had fired mortar shells and homemade Qassam rockets at Israeli towns and Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, and was preparing to fire more rockets when he was killed.
Hamas members fired a Qassam rocket at the Israeli town of Ashkelon last week, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) to order the military to take all steps to stop the attacks.
Dozens of Hamas activists gathered around the hospital in the Deir el-Balah refugee camp, vowing to avenge the latest strike. Palestinian boys stood on the pickup truck's rear roof, chanting "Hamas."
Israel stepped up its campaign against militants after an Aug. 19 Hamas suicide bombing on a Jerusalem bus that killed 21 people. Since then, Israel has killed 10 Hamas militants.
After the first two missile strikes, Hamas issued leaflets urging its members to wear disguises and move about less frequently to avoid becoming targets. Hamas leaders have turned off their cell phones and have largely stopped appearing at public events.
The Jerusalem suicide bombing, combined with Israel's missile strikes, has left the "road map" peace plan in tatters and destroyed a cease-fire that militant group declared on June 29.
Hamas has vowed to avenge the Israeli missile strikes, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group loosely affiliated with Yasser Arafat's Fatah (news - web sites) movement, said a West Bank shooting attack it carried out on Friday was in revenge for Israeli "assassinations." A Jewish settler was killed in that shooting, and his pregnant wife was wounded.
Abbas has said Israel's missile strikes make it virtually impossible for him to crack down on militant groups — a demand in the peace plan — and his power is rapidly dissipating.
In Gaza, the head of the general personnel council, Mohammed Abu Sharia, refused to leave his post, and dozens of armed men surrounded his office in a show of support. Some carried pictures of a smiling Arafat flashing the victory sign.
The Cabinet replaced Abu Sharia, an Arafat ally, with Sakher Basseso on Wednesday. The general personnel council, a key administrative body, oversees Palestinian staff.
"I spoke with President Arafat and he told me, 'You stay in your place. No one can push you out,'" Abu Sharia said.
Basseso, governor of the northern Gaza Strip, didn't show up Saturday and refused to comment when reached by phone.
Arafat reluctantly appointed Abbas, his deputy in the PLO, to be the Palestinians' first prime minister in April under heavy pressure from Israel and the United States. They have refused to deal with Arafat and want an alternative leader.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Christians gathered at a monastery in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Saturday to pray for peace. They called on Israel to halt construction of a fence that will cut through the West Bank with trenches, walled sections and coils of razor wire. Israel says the fence is meant to keep out suicide bombers.
Israel has finished construction of the first 90-mile stretch, which straddles the line between Israel and the northern West Bank. Israel plans to extend the barrier along the entire West Bank.