The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas threatened to assassinate Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israeli leaders in response to the arrest of Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti.
"We tell Sharon and his government and the cadres of his army: you have opened the gates of hell for yourselves by your arrest of this national leader, and you have made yourselves legitimate targets to be killed and assassinated," Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Tuesday.
Israel suspects Barghuti of heading the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah group that has claimed responsibility for a number of suicide bombings and other attacks on Israelis.
"We hold the criminal Sharon completely responsible for the safety of our brother Marwan Barghuti and all our fighters detained in enemy prisons," Ezzedine al-Qassam said.
The group warned "our brothers in Fatah and the Al-Aqsa Brigades to beware and be extremely cautious from the opportunists and traitors, and not to treat lightly those breaking Palestinian ranks."
Powell
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said "I think we are making progress." He said he hoped to construct an agreement — perhaps falling short of a formal cease-fire — within 24 hours.
A senior Palestinian official, however, said it appeared unlikely Powell would succeed. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP efforts to form a joint U.S.-Palestinian statement condemning suicide bombings and calling for an Israeli withdrawal had broken down. The official said the Americans would not agree to guarantees of Palestinian statehood in the joint document.
Powell held talks with Sharon Tuesday afternoon.
Incursions
Israeli tanks stormed into three Palestinian suburbs of Jerusalem and re-entered a West Bank city Tuesday.
Before dawn Tuesday, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers rolled into Abu Dis, Izzariyeh and Sawahra As-Sharkiyeh, three suburbs of Jerusalem. Troops declared a curfew, confining tens of thousands of residents to their homes.
Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qurei, who lives in Abu Dis, said the raids belied Sharon's pledge Monday to begin pulling back soldiers.
"What is needed is ... to stop these incursions and to withdraw immediately from Palestinian cities and villages," Qureia sai. "Unfortunately, these incursions are taking place while Secretary Powell is in the country."
Early Tuesday, Israeli soldiers also re-entered Tulkarem, one of two towns evacuated April 9. Witnesses said tanks drove in from four directions, covered by attack helicopters. The Israeli military said the incursion was aimed at making arrests, not reoccupying the town. Troops left by midmorning, witnesses said.
According to Israel Radio, Israeli forces arrested Tuesday a Hamas member involved in the bomb attack at the Park Hotel in Netanya late march. The man arrested was identified as Nasser Yetima from Tulkarem. During his interrogation, according to the Israeli report, Yetima confessed to being personally involved in the attack, in which 28 Israelis were killed and 65 were injured.
In Nablus, troops continued arrest sweeps Tuesday. In the Raffidiyeh area of Nablus, troops ordered men out of apartment buildings and took them to an area school, witnesses said. Among those detained and handcuffed was journalist Mohammed Daraghmeh, who has covered the northern West Bank for The Associated Press since 1996.
On Tuesday, Sharon renewed his offer for resolving the two-week standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
Under his proposal, wanted men among the more than 200 Palestinians holed up in one of Christianity's holiest shrines would surrender and could choose between trial in Israel and deportation. Palestinians have rejected the proposal. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
