Palestinians Call for Revenge, Israeli Killed
By REUTERS
Filed at 4:44 p.m. ET
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli was killed in what
appeared to be a Palestinian mortar attack in Gaza on
Saturday amid mounting tensions that seem certain to
complicate a new U.S. mission to end 14 months of
violence.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of Palestinians had
attended rallies in the West Bank and Gaza, vowing to
strike at the heart of Israel to avenge an Israeli missile
strike that had killed a leader from the militant Hamas
group on Friday.
An Israeli security source said two Israelis were also
wounded in Saturday's apparent mortar attack near the
Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom, less than 48 hours
before former U.S. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni
and Assistant Secretary of State William Burns are due to
arrive in the region.
Some 50,000 Palestinians marched from the West Bank
city of Jenin to nearby Nablus in the funeral procession of
Hamas military leader Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, who was
on Israel's wanted list in connection with suicide attacks
on its citizens.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told Israel Radio
that Hanoud had been a ``professional terrorist'' planning
future attacks and that killing him was an act of self
defense.
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo
accused Israel of trying to scupper the U.S. peace effort.
France and the Arab League condemned the missile attack
and its timing.
Mourners in Jenin called on Hamas's military wing, Izz
el-Deen al-Qassem, to use booby-trapped cars against
Israel.
In Gaza City, more than 10,000 demonstrators, some
masked and pumping machinegun bullets into the air,
chanted that their response would be ``very soon and very
strong.''
Some 30,000 Palestinians burned Israeli flags and an
effigy of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, vowing to ``start
accumulating Israeli bodies as revenge for Hanoud.''
INTERNATIONAL REBUKE
Israel's killing of Hanoud drew condemnation in Paris
where a French Foreign Ministry spokesman criticized the
''particularly inappropriate and irresponsible act...at a
time when parties have been asked to resume dialogue to
bring about a cease-fire.''
In Cairo, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa
said Israel's killings of Palestinians and other acts of
violence constituted ``a serious challenge'' to the U.S.
peace initiative.
A statement issued by the Palestinian leadership called on
the Palestinian people to ``use their public pain and anger
as an element for a comprehensive national steadfastness
to sabotage this criminal plan.''
The attack on Hanoud brought to at least seven the number
of Palestinians to die violently on Friday, one day after
five boys were killed in an explosion in the Gaza Strip
that Palestinian authorities blamed on an Israeli
booby-trap.
Israeli officials said they were investigating the incident
and expressed regret for their deaths.
An army statement on Saturday said it was checking the
''possibility the children were killed due to involvement
with an explosive that an Israeli army force laid in a place
from which there was fire and terrorist activities against
our troops.''
At least 720 Palestinians and 189 Israelis have been
killed since an uprising against Israeli occupation erupted
in September 2000 shortly after peace talks stalled.
Washington wants calm in the Middle East to bolster Arab
support for efforts to capture Islamic militant Osama bin
Laden, whom it blames for September's attacks on the
United States.
VOWS OF REVENGE
Hamas political leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told the
Gaza rally that Israel had not ``assassinated the will of our
people.'' He said the attack was carried out ``under
American sponsorship.''
``It is a war between us and them... We tell Sharon our
response will come without a doubt and, God willing, it
will be painful,'' he said.
Hamas has killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings in
recent years and has played an important role in the
uprising.
The Palestinians accuse Israel of assassinating more than
70 Palestinians since the uprising began last year.
Israel says its policy, widely condemned by its Western
allies, is aimed at militants who plan or carry out attacks.
Palestinians say it has killed several political activists.
Loudspeakers positioned on cars in Rafah and Khan
Younis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip called on
locals to begin a three-day general strike to mark
Hanoud's death.
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