Thirteen Israeli Troops Killed at Camp as U.S. Offers Monitors
By Todd Zeranski
Jenin, West Bank, April 9 (Bloomberg) -- Thirteen Israeli soldiers were killed during an assault in the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin, Israel's Channel Two television and the Associated Press reported, as Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Cairo the U.S. would send observers if the sides reached a truce.
The soldiers were killed when they went into a booby-trapped building in the camp, AP reported, citing an unidentified Israeli military source. The explosions caused the building to collapse on the troops, all reservists, Agence France-Presse reported, citing an unidentified army spokesman. Another soldier was injured.
Israel Radio reported that the slain soldiers were part of an elite unit of paratroopers.
The deaths were the Israeli army's worst single loss in more than 18 months of fighting a Palestinian uprising, AP said. Israeli troops began a military offensive in the West Bank last week in reprisals for a March 27 suicide bombing of a Netanya hotel where Jews were having Passover supper, killing 27 people.
The clashes came as the U.S. and Arab leaders called on Israeli leaders to end the offensive and as Powell moved eastward toward Israel in his regional trip. Powell said he intended to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, during a press briefing aired by Cable News Network.
Powell made his cease-fire monitors pledge after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He has also met or planned to meet with Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, Jordanian King Abdullah, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and European and Russian officials.
Yesterday Israel left two West Bank towns, Tulkarm and Qalqilya, and remained on their outskirts, sealing off the towns and barring residents from leaving. Israel also moved into another Palestinian-controlled village near Hebron.
While Powell called the limited pullout promising, he said Israel should ``expedite'' the wrapping up of the military operation.
Sharon said yesterday he won't end the offensive until Operation Defensive Wall has achieved its aim of eradicating Palestinian terrorists' infrastructure.
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