Cease-fire fails to stop bloodshed in Mideast

By GREG MYRE

Associated Press

JERUSALEM – A fragile cease-fire agreement failed to halt a spate of fierce gunbattles today that saw two Palestinians killed and an Israeli policeman critically wounded in a Jerusalem firefight. The 20th day of fighting pushed the death toll past 100.

Shooting broke out before President Clinton announced the truce at a summit in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, and it raged on afterward. Israelis and Palestinians expressed skepticism that the accord would take hold, and the militant Islamic group Hamas said it was not bound by the deal.

“We will continue fighting,” declared Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin, expressing a view many Palestinians appeared to share.

Israel, however, said it would wait to see if the unrest eased in the hours after the agreement was reached in Egypt by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

“I hope that from (today) evening we will see the scope of the violence decrease,” said Danny Yatom, security adviser to Barak.

An Israeli official traveling with Barak said the two sides had also reached a secret security deal, a claim the Palestinians denied. The CIA, which has been involved in monitoring security arrangements, would help implement the agreement, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He did not give details.

Shortly after the truce was announced, Palestinian gunmen opened fire on the south Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, a scene of repeated attacks. A policeman was shot in the chest and critically wounded, and several homes were raked with gunfire.

“There is a lot of shooting now. Our window was hit again,” said a tearful Anna Strekma, whose house was hit in a previous shooting.

Two Israeli tanks, deployed in the neighborhood following an earlier Palestinian attack, returned fire from mounted machine guns, and Israeli security forces quickly evacuated about 200 Jewish residents from their hilltop homes. Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said the shooting “was the first test of the cease-fire and it was definitely a failure.”

The Israeli military ordered Palestinians to evacuate their homes in nearby neighborhoods, across a small valley, where the gunfire has originated. If the Palestinian gunmen keep shooting at Jewish neighborhoods, “we will fire both from the tanks and from attack helicopters,” Israeli Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Eitan said.

Tensions also were running high in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of Palestinians threw rocks and firebombs at an Israeli military checkpoint in morning clashes that left 10 injured. During renewed fighting in the afternoon, a Palestinian policeman was killed by a bullet to the chest, hospital doctors said.

Before the truce was declared, Palestinian farmer Farid Nasrara, 28, was killed by Jewish settlers near the West Bank town of Nablus when he was hit in the abdomen by automatic rifle fire, according to witnesses and doctors.

Palestinian witnesses said the shooting was unprovoked. But Yehoshua Mor-Yosef, a settler spokesman, said the farmers first attacked with knives and iron bars, and the settlers fired warning shots in the air before aiming at the Palestinians. Israeli police arrested two settlers.

A third Palestinian died today from a gunshot wound to the head suffered two weeks ago, putting the overall death toll at 102, most of them Palestinians.

Under the terms of the truce, Barak and Arafat were both required to make a public statement denouncing violence – but neither did so in the first few hours after they returned.

“The important thing after the talks yesterday and today is the implementation,” Arafat said upon reaching the Gaza Strip. “We expect that the implementation will be exactly as we agreed upon.”

Barak, speaking while he was still in Sharm el-Sheik, sounded a similar note. “The test will be in the results,” he said.

The three weeks of fighting are the worst since the two sides began peace negotiations in 1993, and in the current climate of bitterness and mistrust, Palestinians and Israelis both predicted that the chances for a genuine cease-fire were slim.

“Clinton, Barak and Arafat are lying to themselves if they think they made a truce,” said Daoud Mughtar, a 58-year-old Palestinian in Bethlehem. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Amos Geuta, the Jewish manager of a bakery, sounded equally pessimistic. “Barak was wasting his time there. In another day or two you will see, it will get worse.”

Copyright ©2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Fernando Espinoza salts the sidewalk along Fifth Avenue South on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Think this is cold, Snohomish County? Wait until Tuesday

Tuesday could bring dangerous wind chill during the day and an overnight low of 19 degrees

The Washington State Department of Licensing office is seen in 2018 in Seattle. (Sue Misao / The Herald)
Drivers licensing offices to close Feb. 14-17

Online services are also not available Feb. 10-17. The Washington State Department of Licensing said the move is necessary to upgrade software.

Pharmacist Nisha Mathew prepares a Pfizer COVID booster shot for a patient at Bartell Drugs on Broadway on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett lawmakers back universal health care bill, introduced in Olympia

Proponents say providing health care for all is a “fundamental human right.” Opponents worry about the cost of implementing it.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Outside of the updated section of Lake Stevens High School on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Lake Stevens, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens, Arlington school measures on Feb. 11 ballot

A bond in Lake Stevens and a levy in Arlington would be used to build new schools.

Lake Stevens Sewer District wastewater treatment plant. (Lake Stevens Sewer District)
Lake Stevens sewer district trial delayed until April

The dispute began in 2021 and centers around when the city can take over the district.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.