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Ananova : Israel commits almost entire combat force to Palestinian offensive ============================================ Israel has intensified its military offensive by killing at least 21 Palestinians in raids in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Most of Israel's combat soldiers, are now deployed in the Palestinian territories, security sources confirm. Military commentator Ron Ben-Ishai said the current offensive is the largest-scale Israeli military campaign since the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Deputy defence minister, Dalia Rabin-Pelossof, said she expects the operation to stop by the time US peace envoy Anthony Zinni arrives in the region on March 14. "I assume that when Zinni is here, this will not be the way things are done," she said The Jebaliya refugee camp - the largest and most crowded with 100,000 residents - came under heavy Israeli fire from tanks and helicopter gunships during a three hour incursion. Hundreds of Palestinian gunmen exchanged fire with Israeli forces, and at least 18 Palestinians were killed and 75 wounded by Israeli fire, doctors said. Many civilians, some in their pyjamas, fled the fighting, moving toward nearby Gaza City on foot and in donkey carts. Israeli tanks also took control of the West Bank town Ramallah and the adjacent Amari refugee camp. Two members of the Palestinian security forces were killed in gun battles with Israeli forces. Several tanks were deployed outside the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat - less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced that Arafat, who had been trapped in Ramallah for three months, was free to move in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Story filed: 09:48 Tuesday 12th March 2002 --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
