Israeli tanks chased Palestinian teenagers killing one, wounding eight others

Additional reporting by Samer Khuwayera, IOL Palestine Correspondent

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, March 7 (IslamOnline.net & news Agencies) – Retaliating the killing of four Palestinians by Israeli occupation forces earlier on Friday, March 7, two Palestinian resistance fighters infiltrated the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba in the West bank, killed three Israelis and wounded ten others, including several soldiers.

The resistance fighters, who entered the Jewish settlement disguised as Jewish religious students, were gunned down by Israeli security forces.

Exploiting world preoccupation with mounting Anglo-American threats to unleash war on Iraq, Israeli occupation forces killed four Palestinians Friday amid fears of spiraling violence ahead of the looming war.

A 17-year-old Palestinian was killed by an Israeli tank shell and eight others were wounded when armed-to-the-teeth Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian teenagers, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Israeli occupation troops also shot dead three Palestinian resistance fighters near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, constructed on occupied Palestinian territories south of Gaza City.

Israeli military sources said the three Palestinians were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and fired at a convoy of Israeli cars, prompting an Israeli military escort to return fire, killing the three of them.

This brings the number of people killed since the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada against the Israeli occupation forces 29 months ago to 3,052, including 2,286 Palestinians and 709 Israelis.

Meanwhile, some 60 Israeli tanks and armored vehicles took up positions in open areas near Gaza City, the second major incursion in the area in as many days after an Israeli army raid killed 11 Palestinians on Thursday, March 6, Palestinian security sources said.

Israeli armor along with bulldozers deployed around Jabalya, Beit Hanun and Beit Lahia, digging trenches in the roads to restrict movements in the area.

An Israeli army spokesman said the incursion in northern Gaza was open-ended and allegedly aimed at preventing home-made rockets from being fired across the border on the southern Israeli town of Sderot.

"Our forces will stay on the ground as long as needed," an Israeli senior military official told the Israeli army radio.

The Israeli army's prolonged incursion in the northern Gaza Strip sparked fears of further violence.

Fifteen Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops on Thursday including 11 in a devastating raid into a densely-populated refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israel Abducts Hamas Top Bomb-maker

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas' top bomb-maker in the West Bank has been abducted by the Israeli Shin Bet internal security service.

Israel accuses Abdallah Jamal Barghuti, 31, of having prepared the bombs used in a string of attacks which killed around 50 Israelis and wounded hundreds last year.

He was arrested Wednesday, March 5, near the West Bank city of Ramallah after a year-long investigation, the Shin Bet said Friday in a statement carried by the Israeli army.

A high-ranking security official told army radio that his abduction was "the most important arrest in recent months".

Barghuti was born in Kuwait but settled in the West Bank -- from where his family hails -- in 1999.

He served as a military adviser to armed groups linked to Fatah before becoming an instructor and chief bomb-maker for Hamas' armed wing -- the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades -- in the West Bank.

Barghuti is accused of having manufactured the bombs which ripped through the Sbarro restaurant, the Moment cafe and Hebrew University in occupied Jerusalem as well as a Tel Aviv pool hall between August 2001 and July 2002.

Shin Bet claimed he was arrested by Palestinian security services after a March 2002 bombing but quickly released.

According to Palestinian witnesses, Barghuti was abducted as he was driving his car with his three-year-old girl.

The Israeli army handed the child to passers-by who took the girl back to her home in the nearby village of Beit Rima.

Palestinian security sources said the Israeli army then searched Barghuti's house and arrested four of his relatives.

Israeli troops on Friday also captured a senior figure in the Islamic Jihad resistance group near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian security sources said.

They named him as Mohammed Abu al-Rob, 25, a local leader of the movement's military wing, Al-Quds Brigades, said two of his lieutenants were arrested in the nearby town of Qabatiya.

India Urges 'Utmost Self-restraint'

India called Friday for "utmost self-restraint" by both sides in the Middle East after a bombing attack and Israeli military strikes left more than two dozen dead.

India said it was "deeply concerned" that the surge in violence would dampen prospects for a revival of the peace process.

"Consequently, India calls for all concerned sides to observe utmost self-restraint so as to facilitate an early resumption of the serious negotiations for a just and durable peace in this strife-torn region," a foreign ministry statement said.

India historically has had close ties with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat but has a warming relationship with Israel, particularly on defense cooperation.

India recognized Israel soon after its creation in 1948 but did not have full diplomatic relations with the Jewish state until 1992, shortly after the launch of the U.S.-led Middle East peace process.