A 17-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, Palestinian hospital officials said. Witnesses said Umran Shilah was among youths who were throwing petrol bombs and rocks at Israeli armor.
Earlier in the day, Israeli troops arrested 18-year-old Tanzim activist Mohammed Shushtani in the Old City of Nablus, on suspicion of planning a suicide attack within Israel.
Meanwhile, Fatah and Hamas have reached an understanding that could mean a halt to suicide bombing attacks against Israelis inside the Green Line, Haaretz reported Friday.
Under Egyptian auspices, the four-day talks that ended in Cairo Thursday aimed at bringing the two movements to an agreement that would reject violence between them and reformulate their stand toward Israel.
As part of the understanding reached between the sides, Hamas' leadership, both in Palestine and abroad, promised to consider seriously whether it would continue attacks against Israel inside the Green Line.
However, Israeli officials denied reports that Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman has informed President Moshe Katsav that Hamas and Fatah have agreed to stop attacks inside Israel.
According to Israel Radio, the sources said that Suleiman did brief the president on the Caio meetings, but stressed that no agreement has been reached.
On Thursday night, Israel's Channel 1 TV reported that Suleiman informed Katsav of an agreement reached by Hamas and Fatah to stop attacks inside the Green Line for three months, until after the January 28 elections in Israel. At that time, diplomatic officials confirmed the discussions with Suleiman dealt with the Cairo talks, but would not confirm that such an agreement had been reached.
On the ground, the Israeli army arrested Thursday night 27 Palestinians throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
In the village of Yatta near Hebron, a senior Tanzim activist, Jihad Husseia, was arrested. In Ramallah, 17 Hamas activists were arrested. An Israeli army force entered a wedding hall where a festive meal for the breaking of the Ramadan was being held.
In Nablus and the nearby refugee camps, the Israeli operation is continuing. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
