Palestinian Resistance Attacks More Settlers & Settlements as Arafat Drops New PA Ministers' Names

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HIGHLIGHTS: Settler Wounded in Gaza Strip Shooting Attack|| Gassan Al Khtaib, Sheikh Mohammed Hosan, Salem Fayed and Dr. Samir Ghosheh among New Recruits in New PA Cabinet||Ben-Eliezer Wants Japan to Control Funding to Palestinians|| STORY: An Israeli settler was lightly wounded by Palestinian gunfire near the internationally illegal settler community of Neveh Dekalim Sunday. (Read photo caption)

Palestinian Resistance men opened fire at his truck as he passed an occupation army outpost.

Meanwhile, a mortar was fired earlier at another Jewish settlement in Gush Katif, occupation army Radio reported.
There was no damage or injuries reported.

ARAFAT DROPS NEW PA MINISTERS' NAMES

Two east Jerusalem residents will be appointed to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's new cabinet, news agencies reported.

Gassan Al Khtaib from the Palestinian People's Party and Sheikh Mohammed Hosan, presently the Temple Mount Mosque Imam, will be in charge of religious affairs.

Salem Fayed and Dr. Samir Ghosheh will also be appointed, reports indicated.

Fayed will be responsible for the Finance Ministry.

Ghosheh, is a member of the PLO executive committee and affiliated with the Islamist movement. He will serve as a Cabinet minister, though his position is still unknown, according to reports.

In 1998, Ghosheh helped establish computer-training centers for young Palestinians in the territories. The centers are being used to train PA employees in the industry. The goal of his initiative was to develop the PA private sector and to increase the number of jobs for young Palestinians.

Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) still refuse to join the PA cabinet.

BEN-ELIEZER ASKS JAPAN TO CONTROL FUNDING TO PALESTINIANS

Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer called upon Japan to closely monitor their contributions to the Palestinian people.

During a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yakiro Kawaguchi, the Defense Minister said that Japan should contribute directly to projects that benefit the general Palestinian population, and not to mechanisms of the Palestinian Authority.

Japan is the largest contributor to the Palestinian Authority. In the past they have donated over 600 million U.S. dollars.

Ben-Eliezer also emphasized the main contribution that can be made by the international community is to create a united front that will present Arafat with the unequivocal demand to end what he called his policy of terror.

Ben-Eliezer expressed support for the Japanese request for a more active involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in the PA reform and election processes.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli occupation security and settlers, center, inspect the scene of an attack against a cluster of mobile homes in the Jewish settlement of Karmei Tsur near the West Bank town of Hebron Saturday June 8, 2002 as Israeli occupation army soldiers, bottom, go out for a search in the area. Two Palestinian Resistance men fired at the mobile homes early Saturday, killing three people and wounding others. One attacker was killed and the other escaped. (AP Photo/Enric Marti)
- Jun 08 11:30 AM ET

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