Bullets were fired this morning at an Israeli automobile near the Atarot airport just north of Jerusalem, but no one was injured. Sniper fire was again directed overnight at the Psagot community east of Ramallah, visited by former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday. He called on the Barak government to do more to protect residents of the settlement from nightly attack. Palestinian gunmen also fired last night at Israeli soldiers near Beit El, and armed clashes continued in Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli car was badly damaged when a hail of rocks where hurled at it near Jericho. Although the driver escaped injury, another was later injured in a separate attack in the same area.
Israeli officials are attempting to verify claims by the militant Hamas movement that one of its leaders escaped or was freed from a Palestinian jail in the Gaza Strip early this week. Hamas said last night that Muhammad Deif—who tops Israel’s most wanted terrorist list due to his suspected involvement in planning several major terrorist attacks in recent years—had fled with the help of his jailers. Today’s Arab newspapers say there is strong evidence that Deif is being held in protective custody elsewhere by Palestinian Authority officials. Hamas claimed today that he was allowed out of jail due to fears that Israeli helicopter rockets might target him. Meanwhile family members of all Israeli diplomats stationed in Jordan have been ordered to immediately leave Amman following the shooting of an embassy staff worker on Tuesday night, claimed by the Hamas movement. Officials say 15 families are being evacuated after the Jordanian Hamas branch declared that it would carry out more attacks on Israelis living in the country. "We warn the Zionist entity to leave our dear Jordan, and we warn the Jordanian government to expel all Zionists from our country," said a statement issued by the militant Islamic group.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is meeting with European Union Mideast envoy Miguel Moratinos of Spain today to seek support for his demand that foreign forces be immediately sent to "protect Palestinians from Israeli aggression." The meeting comes after Egyptian Foreign Minister Amur Mussa poured fresh oil on Mideast fires yesterday by denouncing what he called "daily Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people." Adding further fuel, Fatah Tanzim militia leader Marwan Barghouti called for an in intensification of the Palestinian uprising, which began ten weeks ago today. He maintained that "there is no way to make an agreement with the Barak government, and instead we have asked everyone to accelerate the uprising."
Israeli forces are being reinforced in anticipation of more violence over the next few days as Palestinians mark the anniversary of the outbreak of the original uprising. It began in the Gaza Strip on December 8, 1988. The Palestinian uprising leadership committee has called for "stepped up resistance activities to honor the holy martyrs who gave their lives in that sacred struggle." Israeli security officials are hoping that heavy rain forecast for this weekend may dampen the anticipated violence.
Despite the uprising leadership's call for more violence, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami has asked the army to permit Palestinians from areas outside Jerusalem to enter the city for tomorrow’s Friday Muslim prayers on the Temple Mount. However in light of the uprising anniversary, army leaders say they will probably only allow in elderly Muslims and women. The army earlier announced that ten Palestinians had been arrested north of Ramallah in a crackdown on underground Fatah terror cells. Officials said they discovered machineguns, rifles and bomb-making equipment in the suspect's homes.
Israel radio news reports that I quoted yesterday saying that a date had been set for early Israeli elections proved to be premature. Instead, a meeting to establish an election date between Labor and Likud party politicians broke up without agreement. Opposition Likud leaders are pressing for a March or early April date, while ruling Labor leaders want to drag the campaign out to late May or even June. The two sides will meet to debate the issue again on Monday. Several legislators from both parties said Wednesday that it is absurd to hold elections while the capital itself is coming under regular attack from armed Palestinian forces, and while several regional Muslim countries are loudly beating the drums of war.
DAVID DOLAN is a Jerusalem-based author and journalist. He has written the monthly Israel News Digest for CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF ISRAEL since 1986. His just-released new book, ISRAEL IN CRISIS: WHAT LIES AHEAD? may be ordered in North America by phoning 888-890-6938.
BOOK NOTE: Like Israel's phantom election date, yesterday's announcement that an e mail address was now available for placing book orders proved to be premature! I am informed that it should be up and running in a day or two. I apologize for any inconvenience.
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