Israeli Occupation Troops Enter Maghazi Refugee Camp in Gaza Strip Killing Two Palestinians

07/01/2003| IslamWeb

HIGHLIGHTS|| Occupation Army Also Enters Khan Yunis Demolishing Several Palestinian Homes|| 43 of the 100 Injured in Sunday's Resistance Bombings Still in Hospital, Two in Critical Condition|| London & Washington Regret Israeli Decision to Bar Palestinians from Attending London Conference|| Netanyahu Urges British Counterpart Straw to Adopt Washington's Position on Palestinian Leaders Compromised by So-called 'Terror' Drawing a Sharp Response from the British Senior Cabinet Minister|| Israel Adopts 4 Other So-called Punitive Measures Against Palestinians Including Preventing the Palestinian Central Council from Meeting on Thursday in Ramallah|| STORYIsraeli armor backed by helicopters briefly rolled into the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians including a resistance man who had joined resistance to the Israeli military incursion.

The purpose of the raid was not immediately clear, though such incursions have become frequent in a 27-month-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.

In the Gaza Strip, witnesses said Yiad Abu Zayad, 28, was killed and his brother injured when Israeli forces fired on a car in which resistance men were travelling on the outskirts of the Maghazi camp.

The occupation army is also reported to have entered the Khan Yunis sector in the south of the strip where several homes were destroyed.

43 of the 100 Injured in Sunday Bombing Still in Hospital, Two in Critical Condition

The raids followed Sunday's resistance attack in Tel Aviv, the first bombing in Israel in six weeks and the deadliest since last March. More than 20 people, including two bombers, died in the attack.

Occupation Army radio said 43 of about 100 wounded people were still in hospital on Monday, two in a critical condition and five serious.


Washington & London Regret Israel's Decision to Stop Palestinians From Attending London Conference

The raid came as US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he regretted an Israeli decision to stop senior Palestinians from attending a conference in Britain on reforms to the Palestinian Authority.

Mr. Powell spoke to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, after the Israeli security cabinet imposed a travel ban on the officials after Sunday's bombings in Tel Aviv. 

Other retaliatory measures agreed by Israeli ministers include:

· * "Pinpoint" operations against Palestinian activists

· * Preventing the Palestinian Central Council from meeting on Thursday in Ramallah

· * The closure of three Palestinian universities accused by Israel of "inciting terrorism"

· * Stricter travel restrictions on senior Palestinian officials, whose cars will be inspected when crossing from one                       area of the West Bank to another.

Earlier on Monday, Mr. Israeli foreign minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his British counterpart, Jack Straw that the Sunday bombings made "business as usual" impossible.

He then urged the UK foreign secretary to adopt the same position as US President George W Bush "that leaders compromised by terror cannot be partners for peace".

Mr. Netanyahu added: "You in Britain are doing the exact opposite."

That apparently drew a sharp reply from Mr. Straw who is said to have replied: "No, it is Israel that is doing the opposite.

"Instead of concentrating on dealing with terrorism, it is striking at [Palestinian] delegates."

Mr. Straw earlier "utterly and completely" condemned the attack but argued that it emphasized the need to get people around the negotiating table.

PHOTO CAPTION

An Israeli medic looks down from a damaged balcony overlooking the scene of Sunday's double resistance bombing in Tel Aviv Monday, Jan. 6, 2002. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelde