Palestinians decry Israeli attacks in Gaza

WEST BANK: Israeli troops wounded five people during an attack to Gaza and moved violently into the cities of Naplusa and Hebron in the West Bank where they burnt posters of the deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Neighbours of the town of Beit Lahya in the northern part of Gaza Strip reported that five people were injured when a mortar bomb launched by an Israeli soldier hit near a house early on Sunday morning.

This attack was part of the frequent armed actions in the last few days with heavy artillery bombings and shootings at Palestinian fishing boats off the coasts of this enclave.

Almost simultaneously Israeli military patrols broke into buildings in many neighbourhoods of Naplusa, even damaging Al-Fatah offices, the organization that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas leads.

The soldiers accompanied by military vehicles went into Jerusalem Street and Balata refugee camp in southeastern Naplusa where they carried out a search operation showing off their force and heavy armament, witnesses reported.

They also burst into Al-Junaid zone, western Naplusa, although no arrest has been reported, while intimidation acts in the shanty town of Beit Imrin in the northeastern side of this occupied territory were reported.

One Al-Fatah spokesman cited by Ma’an News Agency denounced the Israelis invaded the Movement’s offices and tried to break down the main doors but failed, and then chose to pull down and burned posters with Arafat image.

Israeli soldiers also imposed strict security controls in Hebron with raids and searches in some of its neighbourhoods particularly within the area of Al-Jelda and Yatta.

Ramalah, Prensa Latina