Both sides of the middle east conflict are turning more and more towards the Right. And don't those old two-faced hypocrites take advantage of the other side's attrocities.
Last Update: 27/09/2003 05:08
Gunman kills two, including baby girl, in West Bank settlement
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Two Israelis, including a baby girl, were killed and two others lightly wounded Friday night by a Palestinian gunman who infiltrated the West Bank settlement of Negohot, southwest of Hebron.
"To our regret, we have two killed and two more slightly wounded," said Dror Richter, spokesman for Magen David Adom.
The gunman infiltrated the isolated settlement around 9:30 P.M., through a part that was not fenced. Armed with an M-16
assault rifle, he knocked on the door of one of the homes. A 30 year-old man who was visiting at the house opened the door and was critically wounded by the gunman. He died a short time later.
The owner of the house and a soldier opened fire at the gunman, who tried to escape and while fleeing fired a number of rounds at the house, one of which hit and critically wounded a seven-month-old baby who also died a short while later.
An army reserve unit that rushed to the scene killed the gunman.
The wounded - the girl's father and a woman - were taken to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.
Israel Defense Forces troops and settlers killed the terrorist. Although the army believed that a lone gunman was behind the attack, security forces were searching the area for any other terrorists after reports were received of a second gunman fleeing the scene.
In March this year, two Palestinians tried to infiltrate the settlement but were killed by the IDF before managing to carry out an attack. A general alert was announced and soldiers backed by a local emergency response squad attacked the two Palestinians and killed them. They were found to be carrying assault rifles and grenades, while one had an explosive belt. Presumably they planned to carry out a suicide bombing. No Israeli injuries were reported.
The previous attack had taken place a short while after two other Palestinian terrorists dressed as religious Jews entered the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, shot a couple walking by the security fence and then killed a married couple in their home before being killed by IDF soldiers. Security sources believed that the two attacks had been coordinated to be simultaneous.
Hamas had claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Friday's attack came as Jews in Israel were celebrating the first night of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year - which began at sundown Friday and lasts until Sunday evening.
"The Palestinians have started the Jewish New Year with another bloody terrorist attack," said David Baker, an official in the Prime Minister's Office. "It's obvious that they've taken a New Year's resolution to continue with their trail of terror against Israel. The Palestinian Authority still refuses to take the necessary steps to rein in the terror and prevent such attacks from happening."
"This shows again the ugly face of Palestinian terrorists," said Jonathan Peled, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman.
"It shows they are totally oblivious to the sanctity of life, the sanctity of religion. This is a barbaric act which raises a question about whether we have a partner on the other side," he added.
Late Thursday, a full closure was imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, ahead of the holiday.
The closure has been put in place due to fears that Palestinian militants plan to carry out an attack during the holiday. Palestinians will, however, be allowed to enter Israel for humanitarian reasons.
Access to Friday prayers on the Temple Mount was limited to Palestinians aged 40 and older and those who carry Israeli identity cards. Some 15,000 attended and there were no incidents.
Police chief Shlomo Aharonishki told Israel Radio on Friday morning that large numbers of police reinforcements had been deployed throughout the country ahead of the holiday.
Police numbers have also been bolstered in cities along the Green Line, and Border Police units are on high alert along the divide between Israel and the West Bank.
Aharonishki said that the areas to which police officers had been deployed were given careful consideration, and were based not only on specific warnings, but also a more general approach.
IDF troops operating in the West Bank city of Ramallah arrested 25 Hamas activists overnight Thursday, Israel Radio reported.
Hours earlier, Palestinian gunmen fired shots near homes in the Psagot settlement close to Ramallah, Israel Radio said. There were no injuries.
In the Gaza Strip late Thursday, Palestinians fired at IDF troops near Atzmona in the Gush Katif settlement bloc, and troops returned fire. Palestinian gunmen also fired two anti-tank missiles at IDF troops near the Gadid settlement in southern Gaza. There were no injuries in either incident, the Itim news agency reported.
