Israeli tanks hit West Bank town, Palestinians say

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israeli tanks and bulldozers rumbled into the West Bank town of Jenin early today, heading for a complex of security installations, Palestinians said.

Haider al-Shae, the Palestinian vice governor, said the tanks entered the compound where security services have their headquarters and were apparently preparing to tear down the buildings.

Israeli tanks encircled Jenin early Tuesday, entering Palestinian-controlled territory, but stopped at the first row of buildings. On Tuesday, the military explained that Jenin was a center of militant Palestinian activity and the source of several suicide bombers who hit Israel.

The military spokesman would not comment on today’s incursion, saying the military does not give details of troop movements.

Shea said gunmen opened fire on the tanks, which were firing machine guns and shells at a refugee camp near the headquarters building. A Palestinian doctor said four gunmen were hurt by Israeli gunfire.

The incursion comes amid the rising tensions in the Mideast, with high-level truce talks were postponed once more.

Also Tuesday, two Israeli troops were killed in a Palestinian shooting attack on their base, and an Israeli man was wounded by Palestinian fire in the West Bank.

In nearly a year of fighting, Israeli troops have repeatedly entered Palestinian territory, but usually pulled out quickly.

A month ago, Israeli troops entered Jenin and demolished the main security building, but pulled out after several hours. At the time, Israeli security officials said Jenin had turned into a stronghold for Palestinian militants.

The Israeli government said Tuesday that dozens of suicide and car bombings as well as shooting attacks on Israelis have been launched from Jenin.

On Sunday, an Israeli Arab man blew himself up near a train station in the northern Israeli town of Nahariya, killing himself and three Israeli Jews. The Islamic militant group Hamas in Jenin announced Monday that it had sent the assailant.

Israeli officials have said they had demanded that the Palestinian Authority arrest the bomber while he was still in Jenin, but to no avail.

Since the violence erupted nearly a year ago, 611 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and 172 on the Israeli side.

Palestinian officials said truce talks between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres were canceled because of the Jenin incursion and continued disagreement over the venue.

Peres wants to hold the first of three rounds of talks at the Erez crossing near the Gaza Strip, while Arafat insists the meeting take place in Cairo.

The Palestinian leader was to leave for Egypt later Tuesday, ahead of a meeting today with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Arafat, who is eager to mend his strained relationship with the Syrians, might have been reluctant to hold high-profile talks with Peres just hours before flying to Damascus.

Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath said the Peres-Arafat meeting has been postponed for a few days, but not canceled.

European Union officials have been trying for the past three weeks to arrange high-level truce talks. Peres and Arafat have agreed in principle to a series of three meetings, but disagreements over the agenda and the venue, as well as persistent Mideast violence, have kept the two men apart.

Even if the talks are eventually held, chances for success are slim. Previous truce efforts have failed and the Palestinians suspect Peres has only a limited mandate from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is suspicious of Arafat.

In Israel’s security Cabinet, ministers held a comprehensive strategy debate for the first time since the fighting broke out. One of the issues was whether the Israeli government should change its approach to Arafat, Israeli radio reports said. One proposal reportedly was to overthrow Arafat and expel him from the region, instead of treating him as a partner in future peace talks, Israel radio said.

Until now, ministers have only been asked to approve specific steps against the Palestinians, such as missile strikes or incursions.

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