Israel said to assassinate another Fatah leader

RAMALLAH — Israel has been accused of assassinating another leader of the Palestinian revolt.

Yehya Abu Swai was killed in his West Bank village of Artas, south of Bethlehem. Palestinian sources said an Israeli commando squad found Abu Swai and shot him dead.

Witnesses said Israeli commandos burst into Abu Swai's home and riddled his body with bullets.

Abu Swai, 28, was described as a Fatah leader who has been wanted by Israeli authorities. They said Swai was regarded as a gun-runner who provided much of the weapons and ammunition to Fatah gunmen in the Bethlehem area.

Hours later, Fatah gunmen shot at the nearby Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

On Wednesday, Palestinian sources said Israel killed a Hamas activist in downtown Hebron. No one was injured in the ensuing clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops.

On Monday, Israel was accused of assassinating an Islamic Jihad leader in Nablus suspected of participating in bombing attacks last month in Jerusalem and Hadera.

Palestinians said four more gunmen were killed and 25 injured in clashes with Israeli forces overnight and Wednesday morning near Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources said Israeli troops used tanks and helicopters to destroy a bunker in fighting that continued all night.

Four Jewish settlers were injured in separate Palestinian shooting attacks in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The killings were reported as the Palestinians have escalated their bombing campaign against Israeli targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On Tuesday evening, an Israeli was injured in a bombing in the Jordan Valley.

In Jerusalem, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz acknowledged a tougher line toward the Palestinian insurgency. Mofaz, whose brother is said to have been the target of a Palestinian assassination attempt, said the Israeli military regards every armed Palestinian as a target.

A senior Israeli intelligence officer told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the Palestinian bombing campaign appears to be inspired by Hizbullah. He said Hizbullah has trained Fatah militants in preparing bombs.

The officer said the current shooting and bombings in the West Bank are being conducted by squads organized by PA security agencies.