Two Suicide bombs in Haifa and Efrat ... 15 Israelis and 2 Palestinians are killed, scores injured

A Palestinian suicide bomber killed himself and 15 other Israelis in Haifa, Israel, today. Many other Israelis were injured as a result of the explosion. In Efrat, an Israeli settlement, near Bethlehem, another Palestinian suicide bomber killed himself and injured four other Israelis. The two bombs came as Israeli forces continue to occupy the Palestinian city of Ramallah, and besiege the Palestinian President, Yassir Arafat, in his three-room office. The Israeli government has called for its reserve forces in preparation for the reoccupation of other Palestinian cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Palestinian suicide bombers have been successful in demonstrating their ability to inflict losses on Israelis despite all Israeli security measures taken. The continuation of Palestinian resistance has also demonstrated that military might cannot break the will of a people, who have decided to get their freedom of the oppressive Israeli occupation (Abu Dhabi TV, Palestine TV, MBC, 3/31/02).

More Palestinians are killed, injured, as Israeli forces continue the reoccupation of Palestine

More Palestinians are killed, injured, and arrested as a result of the continuation of the Israeli war against the Palestinian people. Yesterday 12 Palestinians were found killed by Israeli forces, scores of injured Palestinians could not be rescued because Israeli forces prevented ambulances to evacuate them. Fifty of these were in the Presidential compound alone. Nobody knows how many are killed, injured, or arrested by Israelis because the Palestinian Authority does not function any more in Ramallah and there is no central authority to compile data from other cities and areas. Israeli occupation troops round up Palestinians ages 15-45, in one city neighborhood after another. The Israeli government has called its reserve forces in preparation for the reoccupation of other Palestinian cities and areas, as it did in Ramallah, which means more killing, injuries, arrests, and destruction (Abu Dhabi TV, Palestine TV, MBC, 3/31/02).

32 European activists join Arafat in his office in an attempt to prevent Israelis from assassinating him

A group of 32 European activists were able to enter the office of the Palestinian President, Yassir Arafat, then decided to stay with him, in an attempt to halt an Israeli plan to assassinate him. The Israeli troops tried to storm the office several times and were stopped only by resistance of Arafat's personal guards. Seven of the guards were killed and fifty were injured. Apparently, the Israelis will repeat this tactic several times until the assassination happens (Abu Dhabi TV, Palestine TV, MBC, 3/31/02). 

Many governments all over the world warn Israel not to harm Arafat

Many governments from the European Union, China, and Japan, in addition to Arab states have warned Israel of grave consequences if Arafat is killed. The most important of these warnings came from Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab states who have diplomatic relations with Israel. Moreover, the King of Morocco, who is respected by an active Moroccan Jewish community in Israel and Morocco, called the Israeli Prime Minister, Sharon, warning him not to harm the Palestinian President (Abu Dhabi TV, Palestine TV, MBC, 3/31/02).  

Demonstrations worldwide against Israeli aggression and US support for Israel

Demonstrations broke worldwide against the Israeli aggression and the US support for the war Israel is waging against the Palestinian people. The biggest yesterday demonstrations were in several cities in Germany, France, Greece, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Libya, and Iraq. The demonstrations in the Arab world were characterized by burning both American and Israeli flags. The slogans used were both against the US and Israel, equally. This came after the blunt support for Israel in its war against the Palestinian people in the statements of President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell. More important was the US position in the UN Security Council. The US insisted on that Resolution 1402 does not specify when Israel should withdraw from Palestinian cities, which has allowed the Israeli war not only to continue but also to escalate as expected from calling reservists (Abu Dhabi TV, Palestine TV, MBC, 3/31/02).

Israeli forces continue their siege of the Palestinian President and other Palestinian leaders, tens of Palestinians killed and scores injured, Israeli occupation forces arrest hundreds of Palestinians, including senior members of Palestinian political parties

The Israeli occupation forces, about 200 tanks and 30,000 soldiers, continue to occupy the city of Ramallah, the temporary capital of Palestine. Israeli bulldozers demolished most of the Presidential compound, narrowing the siege of the Palestinian President, Yassir Arafat, into two rooms.  Seven of his personal guards were killed during the initial attack and about fifty were injured. The Israeli occupation forces prevent ambulances from evacuating the injured, a practice Israelis followed everywhere in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli objective is to leave the injured without medical care until they die. Israeli occupation forces also do not allow the Palestinian Red Crescent Society from providing the Palestinian President and his aids with food and water.

Journalists discovered five corpses of Palestinians in one building, all of them were executed by Israelis with bullets in the head. There were several reports from journalists that hundreds of Palestinians were rounded up from Ramallah and taken to Israel. This is like what happened to about two thousand Palestinians, who were taken from Jenin and Tulkarem few weeks ago. Thus, the Sharon plan focuses among several goals on arresting as many young men as possible from every Palestinian city, in order to end resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The arrests in Ramallah included Sakhr Habash, a senior member of Fatah, and Qais Abu Laila, a senior member of the Popular Democratic Front. Other Palestinian leaders are under house arrest, surrounded by Israeli occupation forces (Abu Dhabi TV, MBC, Saudi TV,  Palestine TV, 3/30/02).

Sharon leads the world unchallenged ... toward more violence

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has proved that he is the unchallenged leader of the world. The US Presidential envoy, Anthony Zinni, has achieved a breakthrough yesterday. The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, declared an unconditional ceasefire. At the same time, the Arab summit in Beirut has adopted the Saudi peace initiative that recognizes Israel. Instead of responding in kind by accepting these peace offers from Palestinian and Arab leaders, Sharon launched his campaign to arrest the Palestinian President and to end the Palestinian Authority. 

This is a demonstration of power. He has challenged the whole world. Nobody is accepting the challenge except the Palestinian people. He has demonstrated that Israel is the Superpower of the world, not the United States. There will be no more doubts about who is the leader and who is the follower in the world (3/29/02).

The conference is a failure by all counts. It is dominated by Sharon and his arrogant policy. The Saudi initiative, which was revealed to Thomas Freedman, is the main document in the conference. It represents a big Arab concession to Israel because it speaks about normalization of Arab relations with Israel when the Israeli government is at the peak of its aggression against the Palestinian people. Arab leaders have never been weaker.  

Hosni Mubarak protests US and Israeli policies toward Arafat

The Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, has announced that he is not going to attend the Arab summit conference in Beirut today. This was in protest against the US reluctance to apply enough pressure on Israel to allow the Palestinian President, Yassir Arafat, to attend the conference. In particular, Mubarak is protesting how the US deals with the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Bush administration urged Arab leaders to attend the conference and support the Saudi initiative, which calls for an Arab recognition of Israel in return for an Israeli withdrawal from Arab territories and giving Palestinians their rights. It seems that the Bush administration wants Arabs to give Israel what it has always been looking for while maintaining its aggression against the Palestinian people. Therefore, it was not a surprise that many Arab leaders are not attending, as a protest. 

Cheney hears more Arab objections to attacking Iraq

The US Vice President, Dick Cheney, held talks with President Ali Abdallah Salih of Yemen, the third Arab state he visits. During a press conference with Cheney, President Salih announced his objection to any attacks on Iraq. He was thus reiterating what Cheney heard in Jordan and Egypt earlier. Cheney, on the other hand, stopped mentioning Iraq and started talking about the need to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Arab leaders have always reminded American officials that Israel should also be mentioned whenever possession of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East is mentioned  (Abu Dhabi Tv, 3/14/02).

Arab Foreign Ministers end their meeting in Cairo, in preparation for the Beirut Arab Summit on March 27 ... Discussed Saudi peace initiative and decided financial support for the Palestinians 

In a press conference, the Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Musa, announced that the Arab Foreign Ministers decided to give the Palestinian Authority $330 million in financial support, during the following six months, $55 million each month. They also decided to increase the amounts donated to the Palestinian Al-Aqsa and the Intifadha funds by $150 million. Politically, they have recommended to the Summit Conference to discuss the Saudi peace initiative as a last chance for peace. If Israel does not accept it, then Arabs may change their currently "peaceful" strategy in resolving the conflict with Israel.

The Arab Foreign Ministers collectively called the Palestinian President, Yassir Arafat, in Ramallah, expressing their support. The Lebanese Foreign Minister, Mahmood Hammood, announced that a Lebanese cabinet member gave an invitation to President Arafat to attend the Arab Summit Conference in Beirut. He also expected that the Israeli government will yield to the international pressure and allow the Palestinian President to fly to Beirut to attend the Conference, later this month (Abu Dhabi TV. 3/10/02).

Two Palestinian attacks in Netania and Jerusalem ... 2 Israelis killed, 9 in hopeless conditions, 6 in serious conditions, 93 injured ... 9 Palestinians killed and 29 injured

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades announced two attacks in Israel today (Saturday evening), in retaliation for the yesterday  massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces, in which 50 Palestinians were killed and hundreds were injured. In Netania, 3 Palestinians attacked a hotel killing two people and injuring about 50. The three Palestinians were also killed by Israeli police. In West Jerusalem, an explosion in a cafe near Sharon's house led to the killing of at least 9 Israelis, who were in hopeless conditions that ambulances did not take them to hospitals. Six others Israelis were taken to hospitals in serious conditions, and 43 were taken to hospitals for injuries.

Israeli helicopters bombed Ramallah, and Israeli F-16s bombed the Presidential compounds in Nablus and Gaza injuring 24 Palestinians. In Bethlehem, a 15-year old Palestinian girl was killed by Israelis. This brings the number of Palestinians who were killed today into 9 in addition to scores of injuries (Abu Dhabi TV, Al-Manar TV, 3/9/02). 

4 Palestinians killed, 5 injured ... Sharon decreases his aggression against the Palestinian people in response to criticism from the Bush administration

Two members of the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PDFLP) were killed today while fighting Israeli occupation forces in Bet Hanoon, northern Gaza Strip. These were Faris Shabit and his cousin Wissam Shabit. The PDFLP said that they attacked an Israeli force in retaliation for the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people, particularly the assassination of the group's activist, Abdul Ghani Abu Dagga, the day before yesterday. A third Palestinian died today in Tulkarem, following his yesterday injury. 

Israeli helicopters attacked a building occupied by the Nablus local government with three missiles. Other Israeli helicopters attacked a government building in Khan Yunis. These Israeli attacked resulted in killing a fourth Palestinian and injuring five others, two of them were women. Israeli bulldozers destroyed the fields and trees around the Israeli Kfar Daroom settlement in Gaza Strip, and a destroyed a nearby Palestinian house. In Tulkarem refugee camp, which has been under Israeli occupation for more than a week, Israeli forces arrested 700 Palestinians, literally all men ages 14-40 in the refugee camp. Then, they were taken to Israeli prisons for investigation. Israeli occupation forces have been trying to capture any Palestinian fighters who resisted the occupation of the camp, without any success (Abu Dhabi TV, 3/9/02).

50 Palestinians killed on Friday, including General Ahmed Mufrij, tens injured, ... an assassination attempt against General Abdul Razak Al-Majaida, as Sharon escalates his war against the Palestinian people ... Five Israeli settlers killed and 12 injured

Israeli American-made helicopters launched 3 missile at the Palestinian security forces headquarters in Khan Yunis, while the top Palestinian security officer, General Abdul Razak Al-Majaida, was heading a meeting to arrange for the funeral of the assassinated Palestinian security senior officer, General Ahmed Mufrij. The building was evacuated when Israeli helicopters were heard flying near the building, which was attacked five minutes later. This assassination attempt, together with the assassination of General Mufrij demonstrated that Sharon had made a decision to kill any Palestinian leaders and activists, even those who negotiate security arrangements with his government.

At dawn today, Friday (3/8/02), Israeli forces attacked Abassan and Khuza'a, two Palestinian villages in Gaza Strip, killing 31 Palestinians and injuring 30 others, in the last 24 hours. In Tulkarem, a Palestinian child, Mamun Abu Alia (10), was killed by fire from an Israeli tank. Two other Palestinians were killed in the nearby Tulkarem refugee camp. Many Palestinians were injured and were left to die slowly as Israelis prevented ambulances from taking them to hospitals. Moreover, ambulance drivers and crews became targets of Israeli soldiers. Yesterday, Israeli soldiers killed a crew of a Palestinian ambulance, then used it as a trap to kill more Palestinians who approach the vehicle. Israeli Navy ships, off Gaza coast, targeted an ambulance killing the driver, in an attempt to discourage ambulance crew to go to the rescue of the injured after Israeli attacks. The total count of Palestinians who were killed today reached 50, 20 of whom were in Tulkarem, 7 in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, 2 in Gaza, and the rest in Abassan area. So many areas are without electricity, as electric generators and transformers were targets for Israeli attack  (Abu Dhabi TV, 3/8/02).

14 Palestinians killed and many injured, including ten school children, Israeli air raids continue against Palestinian cities

Israeli forces reoccupied the City of Tulkarem and two nearby refugee camps, Tulkarem and Nour Shams. Eight Palestinians were killed and 50 were injured during the reoccupation operation. In Gaza, 10 school children were injured as a result of a raid by Israeli F-16s on a nearby building used by Palestinian police. Earlier today, Israeli Navy ships fired at Gaza Police buildings. Ten Palestinians were inured, two of them were in serious conditions. In a village near Jenin, Israeli soldiers assassinated a Palestinina activist, Muhammed Anini (27). Israeli F-16s attacked Bethlehem again this morning, destroying a building used for medical services, another used by police, and a third used by the Presidential Guard, Unit 17. Israeli helicopters attacked security and police headquarters in Gaza and Hebron.

Today afternoon, Palestinians resisted an advancing Israeli force, near Yamun, west of Jenin City. Israeli jets and helicopters continued attacks against headquarters of Palestinian police and security forces in Jabalia, Bet Hanoon, in Gaza Strip, and Dora, Halhool, Yatta, near Hebron, resulting in many injuries and a lot of destruction. In Tulkarem, four more Palestinians were killed in the refugee camp, two of them were the medical crew of an ambulance. A member of the Jihad group was killed during a fire exchange with Israelis in northern West Bank. Another Palestinian was killed in another fire exchange with Israelis, in Gaza Strip. 

A Palestinian suicide bomber, Muhammed Nassar (24), killed himself and injured ten Israelis in the Ariel settlement, near Nablus. One more Israeli settler was injured, near Huwar, when a Palestinian fired at him there (Abu Dhabi TV and 3/7/02).

Colin Powell criticizes Sharon publicly for the first time

The U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, criticized Sharon's policy which aims at attacking Palestinians severely in order to push them to stop their resistance of the Israeli occupation. He also criticized Sharon's policy of killing as many Palestinian activists as possible. He added that this would lead to nowhere. That was the first U.S. criticism of Israel so far, from the Bush administration. However, it has not gone beyond words. Israel still receives more than $4 billion in annual military and economic aid from the U.S. Moreover, the U.S. still shields the Israeli aggression and occupation by using the American veto power in the U.N. to block any resolutions that aim at pressuring Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories. Moreover, Powell reiterated that Arafat should do more to control Palestinian resistance, which he repeated every time he spoke about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict (Abu Dhabi TV, 3/7/02).

19 Palestinians killed and tens injured, during the continuous Israeli attacks on refugee camps 

     The Israeli tanks positioned in a settlement, called Basghut, shelled Al-Am'ari Palestinian refugee camp, near Ramallah, in an attempt to assassinate a Hamas activist. Instead, six civilians were killed, including his wife Bushra (32), his son Muhammed (10), his daughter Bara (14), and his daughter Aziza (16). The Israelis shelled their car thinking that Hussain Abu Kwaik was iside. Another nearby car was shelled, too, which resulting in killing Arafat Al-Masri (32), and Shaima Emad (4).

     In Jenin refugee camp, the Israeli campaign continued resulting in killing at least 9 Palestinians and injuring many others (exact numbers are difficult because of the continuous Israeli siege of the camp). Israeli forces prevented ambulances from evacuating the injured Palestinians, which increases the number of deaths with every passing hour. Israeli troops also entered Tamun village, near Nablus, firing on Palestinians, which resulted in an unknown (yet) number of injuries. A Palestinian civilian was shot dead on an Israeli checkpoint, in West Nablus. Finally, 3 Palestinians were killed in Rafah refugee camp. These were Ibrahim Blahum (43), Ahmed Assufi (24), and Saber Abu Lubda (28). In all locations, Israelis blew up or bulldozed many Palestinian houses (Abu Dhabi TV, 3/4/02)

Arab leaders debate the Libyan and Saudi peace initiatives

     The intensity of the Palestinian-Israeli fighting led several Arab leaders to break their silence and start debating the Saudi peace initiative that was revealed in the New York Times (2/21/02). The Saudi initiative calls for normal relations with Israel if it withdraws from the Arab territories it occupied in 1967, and allows the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Libyan leader Mu'ammer Al-Qaddafi announced his own initiative, which opposes the two-state solution, calling for the return of the Palestinian refugees, and the establishment of one state he called "Isratine." In a way, Qaddafi rejected the Saudi initiative as it is. Quickly, the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad visited Lebanon and their talks resulted in a statement that also disagreed with the Saudi initiative. The statement called for peace on basis of UN resolutions, including those affirming the right of return for Palestinian refugees. Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Musa, flew to Libya, then to Saudi Arabia to discuss the two initiatives. Leaders of all Palestinian organizations did not comment directly on the initiatives but called on Arab leaders to support the Palestinian people by all means, not just by peace initiatives (Abu Dhabi TV,  Palestinian TV, Libyan TV, Saudi TV, 3/3/02, 3/4/02). 

8 Israeli soldiers and 2 settlers killed, and several injured at military checkpoints    ...   2 Palestinian killed and several injured in Israeli air raids and artillery shelling

     The escalation of violence has continued in Palestine. In retaliation for the killing of 23 and injuring 230 Palestinian refugees, a Palestinian refugee carried out a suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem killing 9 Israelis and injuring 35, yesterday (3/2/02). Israeli F-16 jets attacked police and security centers in Ramallah, on Sunday, killing two Palestinians. Israeli artillery also shelled the Palestinian town injuring several Palestinians. Israeli helicopters attacked the Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem with 5 missiles. Casualties have not been reported yet. The Palestinian retaliation on the Israeli retaliations was an attack on an Israeli military checkpoint, near Efrat settlement, east of Ramallah, that resulted in killing 7 Israeli soldiers and 2 settlers. Another Palestinian attack targeted an Israeli military checkpoint, near Kisovim settlement, near Gaza, resulting in killing one Israeli soldier, injuring others, and destroying an Israeli tank. Finally, Israeli army units that occupied Balata refugee camp withdrew from the camp to be positioned around it. Apparently, the withdrawal came as a result of the fierce Palestinian defense inside, and probably in preparation for air attacks on the refugee camp (Abu Dhabi TV,  Saudi TV, 3/3/02).

Qaddafi announces a peace initiative that calls for creating one state for the two peoples that he called "Isratine"

     After the Saudi peace initiative, which called for the Arab recognition of Israel after the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories and the establishment of a Palestinian state, the Libyan leader Mu'ammmer Al-Qaddafi announced his own peace initiative, too. He proposed yesterday (3/2/02) that Israelis and Palestinians have one state that he called "Isratine," which should be the homeland of Israelis and all the seven-million Palestinians. He argued that this would be the only viable solution that would be based on free election, which will lead to a democratic government, like what happened in South Africa. Qaddafi's main point is that the two peoples could not be separated because of the geographical and economic realities. Further, he argued that he would neither recognize Israel nor Palestine as separate states, he would do that only if they are united in one country. The one-state solution would neutralize weapons of mass-destruction that Israel has right now. Qaddafi also criticized Arab governments for their weakness toward Israeli hegemony. He concluded with asking Libyan People's Congress delegates that Libya withdraw from the Arab League for its poor performance (Abu Dhabi TV,  Saudi TV, 3/3/02).   

9 Israelis killed, 35 injured in a suicide bomb in West Jerusalem

     A member of a Palestinian group known as Martyrs of Al-Aqsa detonated a bomb in West Jerusalem, killing himself, 9 Israelis, and injuring 35 people. The group threatened early on Saturday that it would carry out the attack if the Israeli campaign against Palestinian refugees in Balata and Jenin would not stop. The suicide bomber was Muhammed Al-Shu'ani, from Bethlehem refugee camp. The Palestinian Authority condemns the attack as it targeted civilians. However, it blamed the Sharon government for triggering it through its continuous campaign against Palestinian refugees, which resulted in killing 23 and injuring 230, on Saturday, and killing 14 and injuring 180 of them, on Friday (Abu Dhabi TV, Saudi TV, 3/2/02).

23 Palestinians killed and 230 injured in Jenin, Balata, and Gaza ... 3 Israeli soldier killed, 2 in injured, 2 settlers injured on early Saturday ... World silence on Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians, France is the exception ...

      Israeli forces reoccupied Jenin camp after hours of evacuating it. The reoccupation was preceded by attacks from Israeli tanks and helicopters. In Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, the occupation forces destroyed many houses and facilities. During confrontations with Palestinian defenders, Israeli soldiers used Palestinian civilians as human shields. They also prevented food supplies from reaching the camp, which resulted in food shortage, particularly in baby milk. In northern Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian civilian, Salman Al-Jamasi (28), and let him bleed to death while preventing an ambulance from taking him to a nearby hospital. A Palestinian girl also died as a result of her injury in an earlier Israeli air raid on Jabalia, on 2/19/02. 

      The confrontations resulted in killing 23 Palestinians and injuring over 230 of them before the end of Saturday. About 60 Israeli tanks and several Apache helicopters participated in the attacks on Palestinian civilians. Palestinian defenders damaged at least 5 Israeli tanks. At the same time, Israeli forces are building up around Tulkarem, in preparation for attacking the Palestinian city. There were also reports about Israeli soldiers firing on Palestinians in Hebron, Bethlehem, and Khan Yunis.

      Politically, an almost total silence has prevailed the world toward the Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people. The exception was a shy call from Kofi Annan for the Israelis to withdraw from the refugee camps, on Thursday. On Friday, the spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry, Francois Revason, described the Israeli attacks as a "war," and called on Israel to stop them (Al-Quds newspaper, Al-Hayat Al-Jadedah newspaper,  Abu Dhabi TV, Saudi TV, 3/2/02).

February 2002 News from Al-Jazeerah Information Center

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