Israeli helicopter gunships on Saturday fired missiles at the car of Marwan Barghouthi, a top official of the Palestinian Fateh movement, but failed to assassinate him.
The assassination attempt took place in the West Bank town of Ramallah, witnesses told AFP.
Al Jazeera satellite channel had earlier said the missiles targeted a Fateh activist, Muhannad Abul Al Halawa, who was wounded but escaped the attack.
But it appears that Abu Halawa, who was driving Barghouthi’s car, was not the target of the missiles.
Barghouthi was in another car, said the station.
Abu Halawa escaped from the vehicle after the first missile failed to score a direct hit. A second missile reportedly destroyed the car.
Two other people, a bodyguard of Barghouthi and a passer-by were also injured by the blast.
Abu Halawa, like Barghouti, is on the list of Intifada resistance fighters targeted by Israel.
Barghouthi, Fateh's secretary general in the West Bank, is accused by the Israelis of being one of the key figures behind the 10-month Palestinian uprising against 34 years of military occupation. He was inside the building at the time of the attack.
Barghouthi was reportedly escorted from the building by the governor of Ramallah.
After the attack, he told AFP that the Palestinians will escalate their uprising against Israel.
"This is a new crime after the massacre at Nablus. It is clear this is all-out war. They are trying to silence the fires of the intifada. But our response will be to escalate the resistance," he said.
He told Al Jazeera that Abu Halawa was in a bad condition suffering burns and sharpnel injuries.
In an interview with Albawaba.com last year, Barghouthi said that he expected an attempt on his life any minute.
He is opposed to all forms of contacts with the Israelis, and repeatedly calls for escalating the Palestinian national struggle against the Israeli occupation.
Barghouti advocates mass protests and wider popular participation in actions.
The attack came only four days after an Israeli helicopter attacked the offices of the hardline Islamic group Hamas in the West Bank town of Nablus, killing five Hamas members, including two senior officials, as well as a journalist and two children.
Israel faced sharp international criticism for the Nablus attack, but said it would stick to its policy of targeting Palestinian militants it believes pose a threat to its security - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
