The Israeli raid on the West Bank city of Jenin dubbed "Operation Vanguard" entered its third day Sunday. On Saturday, Israeli troops detained some 30 Palestinians. Among those arrested, according to Israeli sources, was an activist of Hamas, Mahmud Abadi, who was on his way to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel in the coming days.
Also on Saturday, Salem A-Sha'ar, 13, from the Gaza Strip town of Rafah was killed as Israeli troops entered the Barzil refugee camp, near the Egyptian border. A-Sha'ar was killed and four others were wounded when Isreali troops opened fire at a crowd throwing firebombs and stones at bulldozers that were fortifying an army outpost in the area.
Two more Palestinians were injured after dark in Rafah, when troops shot as some 15 tanks and two bulldozers moved into the camp and began demolishing structures not far from the border, residents said, according to AP.
Meanwhile, Israel has promised to allow all Palestinian MPs to attend a session of parliament where Yasser Arafat is to name his new cabinet, deputy speaker Ibrahim Abul Naja said. "Israel has agreed to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) session in Ramallah Monday and will let all MPs attend that session, including those from Gaza who will be allowed to reach Ramallah," Abul Naja told AFP.
The PLC press office also published a statement with Monday's agenda, saying all the MPs would attend thanks to European pressure on Israel. The MPs are to convene in Arafat's battered Ramallah headquarters and vote on a confidence motion on the new cabinet, it said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
