Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated Monday afternoon that the Israeli army is due to launch a "massive operation" in the Gaza Strip, which will target Hamas.
Sharon said that Israel was "preparing to launch a massive operation in the Gaza Strip against the Hamas organization, the beginning of which we witnessed today," a reference to Monday morning's assassination in southern Gaza Strip, in which missile fired by helicopters killed two senior Hamas military commanders and four other Palestinians.
Sharon said that due to the recent increase in attacks and warnings of attacks, "a number of measures in the territories, beginning with a massive incursion into cities and remaining there indefinitely," will be carried out.
According to Sharon, troops will remain in Palestinian towns in an effort to capture and arrest Palestinian activists. Sharon emphasized that the operation was not meant to be an invasion to occupy the territories but rather meant to deal with those who carry out attacks and their commanders. "We do not intend to control the Palestinian's civilian lives," said the prime minister.
In Ramallah, Israeli soldiers took up positions around Yasser Arafat's offices. More than 20 tanks were parked on the streets that surround Arafat's compound Monday afternoon.
Monday's raid marked the third time this month that Israeli troops have surrounded Arafat’s offices.
"The Israeli government, with these continuous attacks, has revealed to the whole world its real intentions," Arafat said in a statement issued by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. "Nothing can weaken our belief in our legal right to have our own independence and freedom, and all this Israeli aggression will not achieve any political results."
In Jenin, Israeli troops carried out house-to-house searches, arresting the head of Palestinian military intelligence, Mohammed Abu Hanana, and his bodyguard, Palestinian security officials said,according to AP. Troops also found two explosives laboratories and blew them up in Jenin, the Israeli army said.
In Nablus, a Palestinian was killed after he opened fire on troops who stopped his taxi at a checkpoint, AP reported. Palestinian witnesses said a tank opened fire at the Palestinian after he emerged from the car carrying an assault rifle.
Meanwhile, both Israelis and Palestinians awaited an address by U.S. President Bush on proposals for fresh peacemaking efforts and guidelines for a future Palestinian state. Administration officials said Monday the address was tentatively planned for the afternoon, but Bush had not made a final decision.
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said that "any initiative or any idea is worthless today, because what's important is the Israeli invasion." The PA official said it was "the responsibility of the American administration to pressure the Israelis to pull back before talking about initiatives and peace talks." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
