Hours before the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell to the region, Israeli forces killed three more Palestinians in the West Bank.
According to Israeli press sources, the Palestinians opened fire Thursday noon on an Israeli jeep traveling near the Jewish settlement of Mevo Dotan in the northern West Bank.
The Palestinians fled in the direction of nearby Arabeh village and ran into an Israeli ambush, according to Israel Radio.
The Israeli troops killed two of the Palestinians. The third managed to flee into Arabeh and was subsequently killed by gunfire from an Israeli attack helicopter, Palestinians reported.
Palestinian civilian bystanders were also wounded by the helicopter gunfire.
Elsewhere in Bethlehem, the Armenian monk seriously wounded Wednesday in the besieged Church of the Nativity compound was shot by an Israeli soldier, a senior Israeli military official said Thursday.
Meanwhile, the negotiations toward ending the standoff at the ancient basilica appeared to be making no progress. Israeli forces have been surrounding Palestinians there since April 2, with several dozen clergymen also inside the compound.
Under the plan, the Palestinians would be escorted by diplomats to the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. Palestinian legislator Salah Taameri said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had not dismissed the idea out of hand and had formed a team to negotiate with the Israelis.
Taameri, a member of the negotiating team, stated one of the stumbling blocks was that the Israelis had so far not guaranteed immunity for all the Palestinians.
On Thursday, Israeli troops could be seen circling the church from time to time in armored personnel carriers while a ring of tanks controlled access from all sides. According to AP, soldiers set up a tent at the entrance to the adjoining Casa Nova Franciscan monastery, which the Israelis do not consider part of the church compound, although the Franciscans do.
Franciscan Father David Jaeger, spokesman for the Custodians of the Holy Sites, said that the Israelis have cut off electricity and water to the part of the church controlled by his order.
"The situation is dire," he said. "We have been unable to persuade the Israeli government to restore water."
Arrests
The Israeli military acknowledged Thursday it has arrested more than 4,000 Palestinians in its two-week offensive in the West Bank — nearly double the figure announced two days earlier.
Of those taken into custody, 121 were on Israel's “wanted list,” the military said. Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said several hundred wanted men were among those detained.
In sweeps through Palestinian towns and villages, Israeli troops have ordered teen-age boys and men to assemble in schoolyards and other outdoor areas for questioning. Others have been arrested in house-to-house searches.
The military said that 4,185 Palestinians have been detained since the start of the attack, which was launched March 29.
In an announcement Tuesday, the military said about 2,100 Palestinians were in custody. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
