TEL AVIV Ñ Palestinian militants are
continuing suicide attacks in Israel, launching two bombings in less than a day despite pressure from the United States.
The Islamic opposition group Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attacks.
On Monday, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up outside a police
checkpoint near the northern Israeli city of Afula, Middle East Newsline reported. The attack did not
result in Israeli casualties.
Earlier, a Palestinian suicide bomber said to have been dressed as an
Israeli soldier blew himself up in the northern Israeli city of Netanya. At
least three people were killed and more than 45 were injured in Sunday's
attack, which took place in the city's market area.
Israeli authorities acknowledged that they received prior alert of such
an attack. Officials said police set up roadblocks and increased their
presence in Netanya before the suicide bombing.
Earlier, both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad warned that they would resume
suicide bombings in Israel despite a call by Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser Arafat for an end to such attacks. Arafat has been under heavy U.S.
pressure to implement a ceasefire and reform his regime.
Overnight Monday, Israeli troops raided suspected Palestinian insurgency
strongholds in the Tulkarm area of the northern West Bank. Other Israeli
forces entered the village of Idna near the West Bank city of Hebron.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian gunners fired mortars at Jewish
settlements and Israeli military positions. Several Israeli soldiers were
injured in an ambush in the Gaza Strip ordered by the PFLP. Israeli
officials said the order was relayed by PFLP leader Ahmed Saadat, held in a
Palestinian facility in Jericho.
In an unrelated development, Palestinian forces have captured an
Egyptian police officer who had infiltrated from the Sinai Peninsula to the
southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. Egyptian sources told the London-based
A-Sharq Al Awsat daily on Monday that the Egyptian, identified as Said
Hassin Shalbi, entered the border area with a gun and intended to join the
Palestinian war against Israel.
