returned to several villages in the West Bank Monday June 10, including Ramallah where they surrounded the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, military officials said.
News about the latest military invasion came as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was due to meet United States President George W. Bush for talks about the worsening situation in the troubled region.
There were conflicting reports on whether the Israeli troops had actually entered Arafat’s headquarters. The United Press International quoted an Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman as saying that the soldiers have not entered Arafat’s headquarters nor destroyed anything there.
PALESTINIAN KILLED
However, Palestinian security sources said that several buildings had been destroyed, UPI reported. One Palestinian was reported killed and two soldiers were wounded in the morning raids, the well informed International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) quoted several sources as saying.
About 20 Palestinians suspected of involvement in terror attacks were also arrested at the compound, the ICEJ reported. It was not immediately clear if the suspects were involved in attacks Saturday, June 8, when terrorists were said to have killed three people while wounding five others when they infiltrated the community of Karmei Tzur which is not sealed by a fence.
PREGNANT WOMAN SHOT
A young couple, Yael and Eyal Sorek, both in their early twenties, were gunned down outside their mobile home in the Tzur Shalem neighborhood of the community, said ICEJ adding that Yael was nine months pregnant.
St.-Sgt.-Maj. Shalom Mordechai, 35, was fatally shot during the ensuing gun battle between soldiers and the gunmen, according to several sources cited by the ICEJ news service. One of the terrorists was killed and the second was wounded but escaped. The group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
Also, four Israelis were wounded when a Palestinian terrorist tried to infiltrate the northern Samaria community of Yitzhar shortly before midnight on Saturday, the ICEJ said. Security forces apparently spotted the man and shot him dead after an exchange of gunfire.
MILITANTS SUFFER SET-BACK
Militants also suffered a set-back Monday, June 11, when reports emerged that at least 25 people were wounded by a powerful explosion which residents said was caused by a terrorist bomb factory.
In an effort to ease tensions and better control militants, the Palestinian Authority cabinet announced a shake up of its governmental structure changes that are supposed to reduce the number its leaders.
However Israeli Government officials said the changes have little meaning until the violence stops. "In light of what we’ve experienced the last couple of days, we’re not holding our breath," said Dore Gold, an adviser to Prime Minister Sharon.
IMMIGRATION CONTINUES
Despite the ongoing violence, the World Zionist Organization is encouraging Jewish immigration to Israel and is assisting Jews who choose to do so to move to communities in the West Bank, including 70 families from New York, the ICEJ reported.
Israeli officials were concerned that this revelation might hamper Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on his current trip to the United States: they fear U.S. officials may ask tough questions about the strengthening Jewish settlements during the current tension and the involvement of new US immigrants in settlement expansion.
News about the immigration comes just days after BosNewsLife reported that the largest number of United States Jews in decades will settle in Israel later next month. About 400 North Americans Jews will board a chartered plane in July at an undisclosed location, as part of what is seen as a historic operation financed by Christians and Jews.
