Post by Paddy by Grace on May 21, 2009 22:49:09 GMT -7
Israel: Palestinians kill 2 Gaza motorists
Incident happened hours after Rice visit
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militant groups claimed
responsibility early Sunday for a Gaza shooting that
killed an Israeli couple traveling into a southern
Gaza settlement.
Israeli military officials said a Palestinian gunman
was killed, along with three Israeli soldiers in a
confrontation after the attack. Israelis said they
were looking for two more Palestinians.
Eight Israeli soldiers were wounded, and five Israeli
civilians were hurt, one moderately and four slightly,
the military said.
The groups claiming responsibility were the Al Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades, Islamic Jihad and Salah al-Din
Brigades, a wing of the Popular Resistance Committee.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Palestinian Islamic
Jihad are listed by the U.S. State Department as
terrorist organizations.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a militant group
dedicated to the creation of an Islamic Palestinian
state and the destruction of Israel.
Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is a military offshoot of the
ruling Fatah party's movement. The Fatah political
organization founded in 1965 by former Palestinian
Authority President Yasser Arafat, who died in
November.
The Popular Resistance Committee is a coalition of
militant groups.
The shooting occurred on the main road into Gush
Katif, a block of Jewish settlements between Rafah and
Khan Yunis, just hours after U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice concluded a visit to the Middle East.
Responsibilities on both sides
On Saturday, Rice held talks with Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, commending the
Palestinian leadership for "ongoing efforts" to clamp
down on militants using violence to "delay the
achievement of a Palestinian state."
But she said "there is much work to be done" as the
clock ticks toward Israel's historic disengagement
plan next month in which the Jewish state will
withdraw from all of Gaza and parts of the West Bank.
Rice's Middle East visit included stops in Lebanon and
Israel, where she met with Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon. (Full story)
Rice expressed concern that the areas vacated by
Israel this summer "will not once again be used' for
terror bases.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Abbas, Rice
said the disengagement plan will require cooperation.
"There needs to be coordination and there needs to be
a sense of predictability because this is going to be
a very complicated operation for the Israelis, for the
Palestinians," Rice said. "I think understanding
between both sides for what is going to transpire is
very important."
"The two sides both have responsibilities to make this
coordinated withdrawal work," she said.
When Israel withdraws from Gaza, she said, it cannot
be sealed or isolated.
She said the United States is committed to
"connectivity between Gaza and the West Bank."
"Gaza is going to be Palestinian, and that means that
the Palestinian people need to experience freedom of
movement in Gaza.
"It is also the case that there has to be a link
between Gaza and the West Bank," she said, adding that
there also "needs to be greater freedom of movement on
the West Bank itself."
Rice said the United States has been clear about
Israeli obligations in efforts to reach peace between
Israelis and Palestinians. She said Israel shouldn't
do "anything that will prejudge a final status
outcome."
She said the United States continues to be concerned
about the route of Israel's security barrier,
especially around Jerusalem. Israel said it erected
the barrier to thwart Palestinian terror attacks.
(Full story)
Also, she said, the United States believes that
settlement activity should stop.
Rice also mentioned Palestinian obligations --
fighting terror while promoting and enhancing its
fledgling democracy.
The Israeli government has said the disengagement plan
will redraw the landscape of the Middle East, allowing
for the possible resumption of the peace process with
the Palestinian Authority.
The plan has sent rivals jockeying for position.
Recent violence has pitted Israelis against
Palestinians, Palestinian militants against
Palestinian security forces, and Israeli police
against Gaza and West Bank settlers.
On Friday, Israeli military officials said a
Palestinian bystander was shot and killed when he was
caught in a firefight between Israeli soldiers and
Palestinian militants in the West Bank city of Hebron.
A day earlier, Israeli authorities arrested 300
protesters who were trying to enter Gaza in defiance
of a government order banning nonresidents from
entering the territory.
Incident happened hours after Rice visit
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militant groups claimed
responsibility early Sunday for a Gaza shooting that
killed an Israeli couple traveling into a southern
Gaza settlement.
Israeli military officials said a Palestinian gunman
was killed, along with three Israeli soldiers in a
confrontation after the attack. Israelis said they
were looking for two more Palestinians.
Eight Israeli soldiers were wounded, and five Israeli
civilians were hurt, one moderately and four slightly,
the military said.
The groups claiming responsibility were the Al Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades, Islamic Jihad and Salah al-Din
Brigades, a wing of the Popular Resistance Committee.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Palestinian Islamic
Jihad are listed by the U.S. State Department as
terrorist organizations.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a militant group
dedicated to the creation of an Islamic Palestinian
state and the destruction of Israel.
Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is a military offshoot of the
ruling Fatah party's movement. The Fatah political
organization founded in 1965 by former Palestinian
Authority President Yasser Arafat, who died in
November.
The Popular Resistance Committee is a coalition of
militant groups.
The shooting occurred on the main road into Gush
Katif, a block of Jewish settlements between Rafah and
Khan Yunis, just hours after U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice concluded a visit to the Middle East.
Responsibilities on both sides
On Saturday, Rice held talks with Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, commending the
Palestinian leadership for "ongoing efforts" to clamp
down on militants using violence to "delay the
achievement of a Palestinian state."
But she said "there is much work to be done" as the
clock ticks toward Israel's historic disengagement
plan next month in which the Jewish state will
withdraw from all of Gaza and parts of the West Bank.
Rice's Middle East visit included stops in Lebanon and
Israel, where she met with Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon. (Full story)
Rice expressed concern that the areas vacated by
Israel this summer "will not once again be used' for
terror bases.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Abbas, Rice
said the disengagement plan will require cooperation.
"There needs to be coordination and there needs to be
a sense of predictability because this is going to be
a very complicated operation for the Israelis, for the
Palestinians," Rice said. "I think understanding
between both sides for what is going to transpire is
very important."
"The two sides both have responsibilities to make this
coordinated withdrawal work," she said.
When Israel withdraws from Gaza, she said, it cannot
be sealed or isolated.
She said the United States is committed to
"connectivity between Gaza and the West Bank."
"Gaza is going to be Palestinian, and that means that
the Palestinian people need to experience freedom of
movement in Gaza.
"It is also the case that there has to be a link
between Gaza and the West Bank," she said, adding that
there also "needs to be greater freedom of movement on
the West Bank itself."
Rice said the United States has been clear about
Israeli obligations in efforts to reach peace between
Israelis and Palestinians. She said Israel shouldn't
do "anything that will prejudge a final status
outcome."
She said the United States continues to be concerned
about the route of Israel's security barrier,
especially around Jerusalem. Israel said it erected
the barrier to thwart Palestinian terror attacks.
(Full story)
Also, she said, the United States believes that
settlement activity should stop.
Rice also mentioned Palestinian obligations --
fighting terror while promoting and enhancing its
fledgling democracy.
The Israeli government has said the disengagement plan
will redraw the landscape of the Middle East, allowing
for the possible resumption of the peace process with
the Palestinian Authority.
The plan has sent rivals jockeying for position.
Recent violence has pitted Israelis against
Palestinians, Palestinian militants against
Palestinian security forces, and Israeli police
against Gaza and West Bank settlers.
On Friday, Israeli military officials said a
Palestinian bystander was shot and killed when he was
caught in a firefight between Israeli soldiers and
Palestinian militants in the West Bank city of Hebron.
A day earlier, Israeli authorities arrested 300
protesters who were trying to enter Gaza in defiance
of a government order banning nonresidents from
entering the territory.