Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer said Wednesday after the army's heavy overnight incursion into Palestinian-controlled territory that the government wanted to prod the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, said reports.
Two Palestinians were killed and more than 40, including civilians and police, were wounded when Israeli tanks bombarded the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, the first operation of its kind since the Palestinian revolt broke out more than six months ago.
Elias Ayid, 50, a major in the Palestinian police, was hit in the head by shrapnel during Israel's shelling on the camp in the southern Gaza Strip. The second victim, a civilian, died later.
He was identified as Hani Abu Rizq, 20, said AFP.
"We want to return to the negotiating table and the goal of the army's operations is to show the Palestinians that they have every interest in resuming the path of negotiations," Ben Eliezer said.
"The operation succeeded but we don't intend to return to Zone A," Ben Eliezer said, referring to the area under full Palestinian security and administrative control
For the first time since the Intifada, Israeli troops entered in force deep into Palestinian-controlled territory, "smashing 11 structures suspected of serving as bases for mortar attacks on Jewish settlements and Israeli military positions, amid fierce fire-fights with Palestinian forces," Israel Radio reported, cited by Haaretz.
"We were forced to use all the means at our disposal," said Colonel Lior Shalev, commander of the 'Givati operation.
The bombardment of tank shells on the Khan Yunis camp was accompanied by an intense exchange of fire between Israeli troops and armed Palestinians.
"There was very heavy fighting, in the course of which we were forced to shoot at those firing at us from a number of directions, bullets, anti-tank missiles, as well as mortars some of the time."
He said several dozen Givati soldiers and tank and bulldozer crews had faced hundreds of Palestinian fighters, with most of the Palestinians well organized.
Meanwhile an Israeli military spokesman said there were two explosions, apparently mortar fire, around the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in the southern Gaza Strip, said AFP.
Two similar blasts were heard in the area around the Netzarim Jewish settlement in northern Gaza, according to Palestinian witnesses.
In another development, Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported that Palestinian and Israeli security officials will meet Wednesday in Beit Hanoun (Erez) entrance.
But the station quoted Gaza's head of the preventive security, Mohammed Dahaln, as saying that he would boycott the meeting "in protest of the shooting incident on Sunday in which Israeli soldiers shot at a Palestinian convoy carrying Palestinian security officials.
TWO PALESTINIANS DIE OF INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING CLASHES WITH ISRAELI TROOPS
Two Palestinians died Wednesday several days after being shot in the head by Israeli troops, said reports.
A bullet had lodged in Mu'taz Mohammed Soboh's skull last Thursday during a firefight between Israeli troops and armed Palestinians in the West Bank city of Jenin, said Haaretz newspaper.
Soubah was shot while driving near the West Bank site of a clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians
The other victim, Mahmud Barakat, 15, died in hospital in Gaza City five days after he was hit by a live bullet during a clash at the Karni border crossing with Israel, hospital sources told AFP.
PLO WARNS OF 'DANGEROUS' CONSEQUENCES OF ISRAELI POLICIES
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leaders warned Tuesday of the "extremely dangerous" consequences of the aggressive Israeli policy, which they blamed for blocking the peace process, said AFP.
"The policy of the Israeli government escalates the problems... and will lead to extremely dangerous results, hindering all peaceful solutions and the resumption of the peace process," the PLO's executive committee said in a statement after a meeting chaired by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
The committee also "discussed the escalation of Israeli military attacks against Palestinian targets."
Earlier in the day, Israel launched more deadly strikes on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a spate of mortar attacks, dashing hopes of an early renewal of security talks to try to stem a tide of violence which both sides say is beginning to resemble a war.
Wail Khuweita, a Palestinian military doctor, was killed and 25 others were injured when Israel bombarded two sites in the Gaza Strip with anti-tank missiles, in what the Palestinians branded an all-out "declared war."
The PLO cabinet reiterated the Palestinian appeal for an international protection force to police the occupied territories.
The statement, said AFP, also denounced comments by the outspoken spiritual leader of the Israeli ultra-orthodox Shas party, Rabbi Ovadia Yossef who whipped up a new storm on Monday over a sermon calling for the "annihilation" of Arabs.
PERES SAYS ISRAELIS STRIKES DECLARATION AGAINST 'TERROR'
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, on a visit to Turkey, defended the strikes.
"It's not a declaration of war. It's a declaration against terror."
Peres described the Israeli strikes as defensive in nature, said AFP.
"It's a response against mortar attacks," said Peres. "The message is 'please stop doing so, please stop shelling'."
Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Silvan Shalom sent Arafat a warning Tuesday night, saying Arafat would "pay the price" if he did not stop the violence, said reports.
"The aim of the Israeli attacks is to put an end to the violence and to revive dialogue. If Arafat refuses to understand, he will have to pay the price for it", he told Israeli television.
Shalom, who is a member of Israel's security cabinet, said the region "was entering a new era" after six months of violence, with an escalating series of Israeli and Palestinian missile and mortar strikes and counter-strikes.
Shalom added, "Israel will no longer be content with retaliating, as was Ehud Barak's previous administration, but it will initiate operations."
SHARON: ISRAEL WILL ANNEX PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES IF ARAFAT DECLARES STATE
Sharon said in an interview with Haaretz last Friday Israel would annex Palestinian territories if Arafat declares an independent state.
"First, I advise him not to do that - it would be a major mistake on his part. It would demand that we take a series of steps to keep in our hands areas essential for us."
"In such a case, will you annex the settlements and security zones?" asked Haaretz.
"Certainly, all that is needed. Therefore, I advise them not to do it. It would be a mistake."
The hawkish leader also said that he has no intention, "absolutely none," of evacuating Jewish settlements, even as part of a cease fire agreement with the Palestinians.
"I do not see any reason to evacuate any settlements. As long as there is no peace, we will stay sitting there. If after some time, God willing, there will be peace, there will certainly be no reason to prevent them [the settlers] from staying there," he said.
Sharon believes that the presence of Jewish settlements in the territories is of twofold importance - historical and strategic, said Haaretz.
"Is it possible at this time to relinquish control over the mountain aquifer, which provides us with a third of our water? Is it possible to give up the frontier area in the Jordan Valley? In any case, it's no coincidence that the settlements sit where they are. They guard both the birthplace of the Jewish people and also grant us essential strategic depth to protect our existence." - Albawaba.com
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