Israel Claims Hitting Palestinian Training Camp in Syria

05/10/2003| IslamWeb

Israeli forces have attacked a Palestinian "training base" inside Syrian territory in response to a Palestinian bomb attack on Saturday, the Israeli officials say. In its statement, the army said the attack was carried out "deep inside Syrian territory", but did not make clear whether air or ground forces were involved. **Islamic Jihad Denies Combatants in Syria*** Islamic Jihad denied that it had any combatants in Syria after Israel's statement that it had launched an airstrike against a camp used by the radical Palestinian movement on Syrian territory. "The raid took place in an area close to the Syrian-Lebanese border known as Ain as-Saheb, west of Damascus, which could shelter Syrian or Palestinian civilians, I don't know," Islamic Jihad's Beirut-based spokesman, Abu Imad Rifai, told AFP. "What is certain is that we don't have any base or combatants in Syria, where our activities are limited to our media battle," he added. Earlier, the Israeli army demolished the home of the Palestinian bomber Hanadi Tayssir Jaradat, who blew herself up in a packed restaurant in the northern port city of Haifa, killing 19 people. The Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack which it said was carried out by a 29-year-old lawyer, Hanadi Jaradat, whose brother and cousin had been killed by the Israeli army in June. Two separate locations came under missile raids in Gaza City overnight following an emergency meeting between Ariel Sharon and senior Israeli military officials. Also, two Israeli missiles were fired at a house in Gaza City, which Palestinian sources say was the home of a Hamas member. He was not at home at the time. The el-Bureij refugee camp also came under attack but there were no reports of casualties. **Arafat under pressure*** Israeli Health Minister Dan Naveh said the bombing had created an "opportunity to implement the cabinet decision to get rid of Arafat". Yasser Arafat has condemned the attack, saying it endangered Palestinian interests. Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei, for his part, condemned what he called "an ugly attack" and is reported to have telephoned Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav to express his sorrow. But Israel blames the Palestinian Authority for failing to disarm militant groups. The bombing came as Israel imposed a total closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for Jewish holiday, which runs for 24 hours from Sunday evening. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Palestinian Adli Haedar Shorab, 37, lies at the hospital after being injured when a building was hit by missiles in Gaza October 4, 2003. Israeli helicopter gunships fired two missiles at the home of a Palestinian militant in Gaza City shortly after midnight on Sunday. (REUTERS/Andrea Comas)