Israel Blows Up Palestinian Police HQ in Hebron, Al-Khalil

29/06/2002| IslamWeb

HIGHLIGHTS: Occupation Authorities Restrict Media Access to Hebron, Al-Khalil||No Reports on Casualties So Far||Mideast 'Quartet' to Meet in Washington Tuesday|| 'Toddler Bomber Photo, a Party Joke,' Says Toddler's Family || STORY: A massive blast shattered the Palestinian Authority police headquarters in Hebron Friday after Israeli occupation troops were seen entering the building where they had claimed Resistance men were in hiding. (Read photo caption)

"There was a big, big explosion that has destroyed most of the headquarters and has damaged other buildings around it," a Reuter's cameraman said of the blast, which came after dark.

"We see a fire now and people are asking for ambulances."

Yet some four hours after he saw occupation soldiers moving inside the headquarters with flashlights and army vehicles bringing troop reinforcements, the circumstances of the blast remained unclear.

By the early hours of Saturday, there had been no comment from either the Israeli or Palestinian sides. Israel has restricted media access to Hebron.

The Israeli occupation army had at first denied troops had entered the compound where it had said some 15 Resistance are hiding. But after the blasts a spokeswoman said occupation soldiers were indeed engaged in "activities" at the site. She made no further comment.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties from the blast, which sent fire and sparks high into the air.

MIDEAST 'QUARTET' TO MEET TUESDAY

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said envoys from the Middle East "quartet" -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- aimed to meet Tuesday to decide steps to support and implement Bush's vision.

Bush said this week that Arafat must be replaced by a leader "uncompromised by terror," and that U.S. financial aid to Palestinians depended on reforms and rejection of "terrorism."

The Palestinians have said they will hold elections in January, which opinion polls indicate Arafat is likely to win.

TODDLER BOMBER CONTROVERSY

Israel media Friday carried a photograph the occupation army claimed it had found in a search of a Palestinian house that showed a Palestinian toddler dressed as a Resistance bomber, complete with explosives belt.

A relative of the child confirmed the photo, which the occupation army said it found in a family album in a house in Hebron, was genuine but said it was a party joke and there was no intention of turning him into a bomber.

PHOTO CAPTION

The Palestinian authority building is seen in the night in the West Bank town of Hebron June 28, 2002. Heavy explosions shook a Palestinian Authority police headquarters in Hebron on Friday after besieging Israeli occupation troops entered the building where they claim Resistance men have been hiding. (Loay Abu Haykel/Reuters