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30/06/2006
Palestinian officials 'detained' by Israel
Four Palestinian cabinet ministers, and dozens of officials of Hamas, have been detained in a move to "destabilise" the Hamas government according to Palestinian sources.
However, in what are said to be separate moves by the Israeli government against militia targets in Palestine, two militants are reported to have been killed.
Numerous targets have been attacked by Israeli forces and heavy exchanges of fire have been reported in northern Gaza.
One Palestinian militant was reported to have been killed in a missile strike in Rafah, another was killed by weapons fire in Nablus, both in the Gaza Strip.
The escalation of tension in the region has been a cause of "particular concern" for Foreign ministers who have called on the Israelis to show "restraint."
Palestinian militants armed with assault rifles and anti-tank weapons are reported to have taken up positions as they wait incursions into the northern region of the Gaza Strip.
Yesterday, Israeli tanks and troops, backed by air support, moved into the southern Gaza Strip as Israel attempted to liberate an Israeli soldier captured on Sunday, June 19.
The crisis deepened on Wednesday when Israeli forces shelled and bombed targets in the Gaza Strip, amid a declaration by Israel that it was prepared to take "extreme steps" in a bid to free soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit.
A number of bridges and other key positions have been seized by Israeli forces as diplomatic efforts by the UN and Arab nations were intensified.
The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appealed for the UN to intervene to secure the release of the Hamas officials.
Palistinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya condemned the detention as a move aimed at destabalising the Hamas leadership.
Mr Haniya said that steps were being taken to secure the release of the Israeli soldier, but he said that Hamas policies would not be changed.
Earlier this week the body of a Jewish settler who had been seized by Palestinian militants was found near Ramallah.
(SP/GB)
However, in what are said to be separate moves by the Israeli government against militia targets in Palestine, two militants are reported to have been killed.
Numerous targets have been attacked by Israeli forces and heavy exchanges of fire have been reported in northern Gaza.
One Palestinian militant was reported to have been killed in a missile strike in Rafah, another was killed by weapons fire in Nablus, both in the Gaza Strip.
The escalation of tension in the region has been a cause of "particular concern" for Foreign ministers who have called on the Israelis to show "restraint."
Palestinian militants armed with assault rifles and anti-tank weapons are reported to have taken up positions as they wait incursions into the northern region of the Gaza Strip.
Yesterday, Israeli tanks and troops, backed by air support, moved into the southern Gaza Strip as Israel attempted to liberate an Israeli soldier captured on Sunday, June 19.
The crisis deepened on Wednesday when Israeli forces shelled and bombed targets in the Gaza Strip, amid a declaration by Israel that it was prepared to take "extreme steps" in a bid to free soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit.
A number of bridges and other key positions have been seized by Israeli forces as diplomatic efforts by the UN and Arab nations were intensified.
The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appealed for the UN to intervene to secure the release of the Hamas officials.
Palistinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya condemned the detention as a move aimed at destabalising the Hamas leadership.
Mr Haniya said that steps were being taken to secure the release of the Israeli soldier, but he said that Hamas policies would not be changed.
Earlier this week the body of a Jewish settler who had been seized by Palestinian militants was found near Ramallah.
(SP/GB)
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Arafat's coffin arrives in Ramallah
The body of the Yasser Arafat has arrived in Ramallah – the compound where he spent two years blockaded in by the Israeli army. The Palestinian leader, whom Tony Blair described as having "symbolised the Palestinian national movement", is expected to be buried in a stone coffin inside his ruined compound before sunset.
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