Soldier targeted after missiles kill militant

GAZA - A Palestinian sniper shot dead an Israeli soldier in the West Bank town of Bethlehem yesterday, the Army said, hours after an Islamic militant was killed in an Israeli missile attack on his car in Gaza.

Danny Dery, aged 19, was the second soldier killed by Palestinians in 24 hours as violence intensified in a seven-month-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.

After Dery was shot, heavy fighting erupted between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen in Bethlehem. The sound of Israeli tank shells and machineguns echoed throughout nearby Jerusalem.

At least six Palestinians were hurt in the fighting, including a 4-year-old girl left in a critical condition, Palestinian sources said.

Earlier, an Israeli helicopter gunship fired missiles at the car of Islamic Jihad militant Mohammed Abdelal, indicating Israel's determination to target field activists suspected of carrying out or planning bombings inside Israel.

Witnesses saw three missiles fired by the helicopter strike Abdelal's car in the Brazil refugee camp in the Rafah area bordering Egypt. Abdelal was killed on the spot and one witness said the vehicle was reduced to cinders.

"The first hit the rear of the car and Abdelal struggled to get out of the driver's seat into the road. Another two missiles hit the vehicle, turning it into a ball of flames," said Salim Abu Yedin, a resident of the camp.

At least 367 Palestinians, 71 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed in the uprising that erupted in September after peace talks deadlocked.

Israeli security sources said Abdelal had been involved in several bombings since 1994, including at a soldiers' hitchhiking post in Israel in 1995 in which 22 people died.

"Finally, and perhaps most importantly, he was in the very advanced stages of carrying out further terrorist attacks," one of the sources said.

The militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad vowed to avenge Adelal's killing. Hamas, which has carried out several bombings in the past, including two last week that killed at least two Israelis, said it had seven suicide bombers ready to attack.

"It is clear that things are escalating," Israeli cabinet minister Matan Vilnai told Israel Radio.

Palestinian officials have accused Israel of assassinating at least 20 Palestinian activists since September. Israel has said it does not pursue a policy of assassination.

United States President George W. Bush has pledged to urge Israel and the Palestinians to lay down their arms and move towards a peace deal, but Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has ruled out peace talks while the bloodshed continues.

- REUTERS

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