So today is Easter Sunday - the The Slauhtermen Cometh......
Well what else would one expect on Easter day - all safe houses no doubt
marked with the blood of the lambs.
A Nobel Peace Award winner is in isolation, he security executed and
they aim for the head - and these Israelis remember have been training
you local police in D Platoon Tactics to "save the children" no doubt
OSaba
Firing heard at Arafat compoundPalestinian officials say they're in
office; Israeli army denies itBREAKING NEWS
NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES
March 31 � Palestinian officials said Sunday that Israeli forces were
storming Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's besieged office building and
that there had been exchanges of gunfire between soldiers and
Palestinian security guards. The Israeli army denied troops were inside
the three-story building, but an Associated Press reporter speaking by
phone to Palestinians inside Arafat's office could hear the sounds of
heavy gunfire. Palestinian officials said Israeli troops took over
Arafat's personal quarters on the second floor.
� � �� � �
�
� 'Our decision not to harm Arafat still stands. ... We don't want to
turn it into a world war, into a regional war. We don't want to turn the
entire world against us.'
� ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES
speaking on Israel Radio as the fighting was reported in Arafat's office
� � � �PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS said Israeli troops took over
Arafat's personal quarters on the second floor.
� � � �The Israeli military denied that Palestinian forces
entered Arafat's office on Sunday.
� � � �Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, speaking on Israel
Radio as the fighting was reported in Arafat's office, said: "Our
decision not to harm Arafat still stands. There's no change. We
� � � �don't want to turn it into a world war, into a regional
war. We don't want to turn the entire world against us."
� � � �Arafat's compound has been under Israeli control since
Friday, with the exception of the office building where Arafat and his
aides have been holed up.
� � � �"They started entering Arafat's offices and now they are
exchanging fire with the president's bodyguards. There are very serious
clashes and the president's guards are fighting against the invaders.
There are several wounded," Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed
Rabbo said.
� � � �Abed Rabbo was not inside the compound in the West Bank
city of Ramallah, however.
� � � �
SUICIDE ATTACK
� � � �On Saturday, about 30 people were injured, including five
critically, in the latest suicide attack on Israel, this time aimed at
the My Coffee Shop Cafe on a popular Tel Aviv thoroughfare. The suicide
bomber was killed.
� � � �The bombing was claimed by the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade,
a militia that has been linked to Arafat's Fatah movement. The attacker
was identified as a man from the West Bank city of Nablus.
� � � �The explosion went off sometime after 9 p.m. (1 p.m. ET)
at the cafe on Allenby Street. "I passed by there. I heard a loud
explosion. I was so scared. I never saw something like this in my life,"
one witness, who was not further identified, told Channel Two.
� � � �MSNBC's Ashleigh Banfield reported from the scene that
the cafe is popular with soccer fans, who congregate to watch games on
television. By luck, Saturday's game wasn't too exciting and the cafe
was less crowded than usual, Banfield reported. Most of the wounded were
staff and passers-by.
Advertisement
� � � �
'EXPECTING MANY MORE'
� � � �Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki said he did not
expect a letup in Palestinian attacks. "We are expecting many more bomb
attacks, and we are spreading our forces as widely as possible," he said
on Israel TV.
� � � �David Baker, an official in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
office, said Israel would take all steps necessary, "using all means
possible," to stop the Palestinian attacks.
� � � �This included rounding up hundreds of Palestinian men for
questioning.
� � � �The Israeli military sealed off Ramallah, barring
journalists from entering. Journalists who were in Ramallah before the
Israeli operation began have been able to work in the city.
� � � �Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces moving through
the streets of Ramallah with loudspeakers demanded that all males
between the ages of 14 and 40 come out of their homes and report to a
school. More than 500 Palestinian men assembled in the yard, were
blindfolded and had their hands tied behind their backs. Some were being
put on a truck and driven away. The army chased away journalists who
arrived at the scene.
� � � �The bombing "is a continuation of the campaign of murder"
against Israelis everywhere, Baker said.
� � � �It was the third Palestinian suicide attack this week. On
Wednesday evening, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a hotel in the
coastal resort of Netanya, killing 22 diners attending a Passover Seder,
the ritual meal ushering in the Jewish holiday. On Friday, a bomber blew
herself up at the entrance of a Jerusalem supermarket, killing a guard
and a shopper.
� � � �The Islamic militant group Hamas assumed responsibility
for the Netanya attack, and the Jerusalem bombing was claimed by the Al
Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.
� � � �
ARAFAT CONFINED
� � � �The Netanya attack triggered a new Israeli offensive in
the West Bank, which started Friday with the dramatic assault on
Arafat's compound.
� � � �On Saturday, the Palestinian leader was surrounded by
Israeli soldiers inside the main building, accompanied by aides and
bodyguards and without power or water.
Arafat speaks from his compound
March 30 � Yasser Arafat pleads for a halt in military escalation
during an interview he recorded by candlelight as he was confined to
rooms in his compound.
Palestinian officials said Israel informed them that its forces would
enter the office building later in the day to arrest wanted Palestinians
they believe to be hiding there.
� � � �Israeli security sources said Israeli officials believed
that among those hiding in the compound was the mastermind of the
assassination of Rehavam Zeevi, a far-right Israeli cabinet minister
shot to death by Palestinian militants in October.
� � � �A Sharon spokesman, Raanan Gissin, again denied there
were any plans to capture the Palestinian leader. "As for future plans,
the whole story of an ultimatum is something Palestinian sources have
invented. As we have said, we are not after Arafat as such," Gissin told
Reuters.
��Latest Mideast news ��Moran: Q&A on future ��Arabs vent
frustration ��NBC: On the scene ��NBC: Hezbollah's stance
��NBC: Saudi attitude ��NBC: Who is Sharon? ��NBC: Mideast
media ��WashPost coverage ��America strikes back
� � � �Israel wanted to "isolate Arafat and take all necessary
measures to uproot terrorist organizations that have found refuge there
[in his headquarters]," Gissin added.
� � � �In a statement, the army said troops had allowed
Palestinian ambulances to bring food, bottled water and candles into
Arafat's office. It said Palestinian technicians had also been permitted
to work on restoring power supplies to the compound.
� � � �Rabbo said Israeli forces had given an ultimatum to
Arafat supporters holed up inside his besieged compound in the West Bank
city of Ramallah on Saturday evening, threatening to storm the
headquarters to arrest wanted people.
� � � �"This step is a plan by [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel]
Sharon against President Arafat's life. This is a very grave
� � � �step," Abed Rabbo told Qatar's al-Jazeera television.
� � � �Rabbo said the Israelis were calling on people inside
Arafat's office to surrender "or they will go in."
� � � �An Israeli official denied any ultimatum had been given.
� � � �Arafat told Fox TV Saturday that surrender was out of the
question. He ended the interview with Fox by saying he had a call from
Secretary of State Colin Powell. The State Department confirmed the call
but provided no details on the content. Asked about the possibility of
surrender, Arafat told Fox, "I have one choice, to be a martyr. ... We
will never surrender. ... We are in complete siege."
� � � �Arafat has been speaking by mobile phone with foreign
leaders and the media, though it was not clear for how much longer. He
has been using a mobile phone dependent on a battery that needs
recharging.
� � � �
EXPULSION?
� � � �Some members of Sharon's Cabinet wanted to expel the
Palestinian leader from the region, but were convinced not to by senior
military leaders who warned it would be counterproductive, Defense
Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel television.
Bush to Israel: Ensure 'path to peace'
� � � �Ben-Eliezer suggested Sharon was among those favoring
expulsion. "To my joy, all members of the defense establishment ...
explained to the government that this could cause the exact opposite of
what we expect. Therefore, I was happy the Cabinet accepted the proposal
not to expel him."
� � � �Israel did declare Arafat an "enemy" and said he would be
completely isolated.
� � � �But Ben-Eliezer said the offensive would last as long as
it takes "to guarantee the safety of our homes."
� � � �Eleven Palestinians and two Israelis have been killed in
the two days of fighting in Ramallah.
� � � �
U.N. RESOLUTION
� � � �The fast-moving developments have left the Bush
administration scrambling.
� � � �U.S. officials initially declined to criticize the
Israeli move against Arafat on Friday, but then the administration
supported a U.N. Security Council resolution passed early Saturday that
called on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian cities, including
Ramallah.
� � � �In an impromptu press conference near his ranch in
Crawford, Texas, Bush did not repeat the demand; instead he emphasized
Israel's right to defend itself.
U.N., U.S. call for Israeli pullout
March 30 � Israeli forces take up more ground even though the United
States and U.N. Security Council members called for a resolution to
withdraw troops from Ramallah and other Palestinian cities. NBC's Dana
Lewis reports.
� � � �"All the leaders in the world must stand up against
terror ... and that especially applies to Chairman Arafat," Bush said.
� � � �Among the demands laid out by Bush was for the
Palestinian leader to address his own people in Arabic, and to condemn
terrorist attacks.
� � � �"I think Mr. Arafat could have done more three weeks ago,
and can do more today."
� � � �NBC's Fred Francis, reporting from the Bush ranch, said
that the president was upset that his global war on terrorism has been
sidetracked by events in the Middle East.
� � � �Bush said Israel's actions are understandable in the
midst of "a wave of suicide bombers coming to the heart of their cities
and killing innocent people."
� � � �But Bush urged Israel to work to reduce the violence as
well, by making sure "that there is a path to peace as she secures her
homeland."
� � � �The president said U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni will remain
in the region to continue his efforts at arranging a cease-fire.
� � � �European nations criticized Israel, calling on it to
implement the resolution. "It would be a grave mistake to imagine that
the elimination of Yasser Arafat, the president of the Palestinian
Authority, could lead to anything positive," French President Jacques
Chirac told RTL radio Saturday.
� � � �
TENSION ON BORDER
� � � �At the same time, Israel's tense northern border with
Lebanon flared up. Hizballah guerrillas fired rockets and mortar shells
at Israeli outposts in a disputed border area, and Israeli warplanes
responded with strikes on suspected Hizballah positions in south
Lebanon.
� � � �Israel is expected to broaden its offensive in
Palestinian-controlled areas in coming days, and the military was in
action on two other fronts Saturday.
� � � �Tanks rumbled into the Palestinian town of Beit Jala,
just south of Jerusalem and next to biblical Bethlehem, where Christians
are observing Easter weekend. Many Christian residents in Beit Jala
complained that the incursion kept churches closed and forced the
cancellation of festivities.
� � � �Tanks also entered the town of Beituniya, outside
Ramallah, surrounding the military compound of West Bank security chief
Jibril Rajoub.
� � � �In response to the U.N. resolution, Israel said it had no
interest in remaining in Ramallah or any other Palestinian cities, but
was forced to carry out the military strikes "because the Palestinians
are launching terrorism against our citizens, rather than eradicating
terrorism and implementing a cease-fire."
� � � �
Source: ReutersPrintable version
� � � �
� � � �
� � � �MSNBC's Ashleigh Banfield and Charles Sabine in Tel Aviv,
NBC's Fred Francis in Crawford, Texas, The Associated Press and Reuters
contributed to this report.
� � � �
�WashPost: Analysis: A grudging U.S. policy�Israel assault raises
tough questions�Arabs vent rage over Israeli incursion�'Of course
it's expected ...'�Lights out for Arafat in Ramallah
�Complete coverage
Israeli government Web site
Israeli Defense Forces
Palestinian Authority
Center for Palestine Research and Studies
�
� � �
�
�MSNBC VIEWERS' TOP 10��Would you recommend this story to other
viewers?
not at all ��1����- ��2��- ��3��-
��4��- ��5��- ��6��- ��7�� highly�
� ��
�
�MSNBC is optimized for
� Microsoft Internet Explorer
� Windows Media Player�
� MSNBC Terms,�Conditions and Privacy � 2002
� ��
Cover | News | Business | Sports | Local News | Health | Technology |
Living & Travel
TV News | Opinions | Weather | ComicsInformation Center | Help | News
Tools | Jobs | Write Us | Terms & Conditions | Privacy
� �
--- Begin Message ---
http://www.msnbc.com/news/677951.asp?0na=x21018D0-
--- End Message ---
