A Palestinian man fixing a satellite dish on his rooftop was shot and killed in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Palestinians said. In the West Bank, Israeli occupation troops tracked down and killed a Palestinian who took part in a deadly attack on an internationally illegal Jewish settlement. In violence Saturday, occupation soldiers stationed near the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip shot at a Palestinian man, Abdel Karim Mansour, while he was repairing a satellite dish, Palestinian witnesses and doctors said. Two other Palestinians were wounded in the shooting, the doctors said.

Witnesses said occupation soldiers shot after Palestinian youths threw stones and firebombs at nearby troops.

On Wednesday, Israel closed Hebron University -- also known as Islamic University -- and the city's Polytechnic Institute, calling them a "hotbed for terror attacks." Students marched through Hebron on Saturday, chanting, "Education is a human right," and broke through Hebron University's locked gates.


Many Houses Demolished in Rafah

Armored Israeli vehicles operated along the border with Egypt near Rafah on Saturday as part of efforts to beef up security for the nearby bases, Palestinian witnesses said. The area is extremely tense, with frequent shootings between Palestinian resistance groups and Israeli occupation forces. The occupation army also has demolished many houses used for cover in the area.

Late Saturday, dozens of Jewish settlers rioted in the West Bank town of Hebron in response to the previous day's attack at the nearby Kiryat Arba settlement.

Protesters set a wrecked car on fire and threw objects at Palestinians.

Earlier in the day occupation soldiers pursued, then killed a Palestinian who allegedly participated in the shooting at an illegal outpost on the outskirts of Kiryat Arba.

The second fled and occupation troops began a manhunt for him, killing him early Saturday.

The Resistance group Hamas took responsibility for Friday's attack, saying it came in response to Israeli occupation army operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Sharon Does Not Take Quartet Peace Plan Seriously

Also, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in comments slated to be published in Newsweek magazine this week that a peace plan being worked out by the so-called Quartet of nations should not be taken seriously.

The group - the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia - was working on a peace plan to present to the Israelis and Palestinians in February.

Israel reportedly was satisfied with a recent version, which calls for the Palestinians to cease attacks immediately and requires the Palestinians to undertake reforms before they can establish a state.

When asked about the Quartet plan, Sharon said, "Oh, the quartet is nothing! Don't take it seriously."

Sharon did not state what he believes is wrong with the plan, which has been called a "road map" for the resumption of peace talks.

But he said another plan would work if it included removing Yasser Arafat from the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, appointing a prime minister and then implementing security and financial reforms.

PHOTO CAPTION

Hafez Abu Sneineh calls his family as he identifies the body of his brother Hamas activist Tareq Abu Sneineh at the hospital in the West Bank town of Hebron Saturday Jan. 18, 2003. Abu Sneineh was killed late Friday during an attack in which he and another Hamas activist attacked an internationally illegal settlement killing a settler and injured three others. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi))