From Occupied Palestine

100,000 tell Sharon to get out of Gaza
CHRIS McGREAL
Guardian, 17 May 2004

Tel Aviv -- Israel said yesterday it would intensify its military assault on the Gaza strip, hours after more than 100,000 people rallied in Tel Aviv to demand that Ariel Sharon follow through on his pledge to withdraw Jewish settlers from the territory.

Israeli troops die as refugee homes are destroyed
CHRIS McGREAL
Guardian, 15 May 2004

Four more Israeli soldiers were killed in the Gaza strip yesterday as the military began razing hundreds of refugee homes in what the government called a security operation but critics described as retaliation for some of the worst casualties of the intifada. An Israeli member of parliament called the destruction a war crime.

Palestinians claim victory after Gaza gun battles leave 38 dead
DONALD MacINTYRE
Independent, 14 May 2004

Gaza -- The death toll in three days of fighting in the Gaza Strip reached 38 last night when 12 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces searching for the remains of five soldiers.

Eleven of the Palestinians were killed in two helicopter missile attacks in Rafah, while a 12th was shot dead last night in the southern frontier town's embattled refugee camp. The Israeli army said it had fired at two groups of armed gunmen. Palestinian sources said four of the 11 killed were militants. Another 15 Palestinians were killed in Gaza City in the same period.

Gaza death toll mounts as Israeli troops are ambushed
CHRIS McGREAL in Jerusalem
CONAL URQUHART in Gaza City
Guardian, 13 May 2004

Five soldiers killed hours before Islamic Jihad and Hamas hand over body parts from earlier attack

Palestinian fighters killed five Israeli soldiers yesterday by blowing up an armoured vehicle in a Gaza refugee camp as troops fought house-to-house in a Gaza City neighbourhood to search for the body parts of six soldiers killed in a similar attack on Tuesday.

'This is for Sheikh Yassin'
ARNON REGULAR
Ha'artez, 11 May 2004

Gaza City -- An armed Hamas member stood in an alleyway in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza yesterday, holding a bag that he said contained human remains from the armored personnel carrier blown up yesterday.

Shockingly, he proceeded to pull a finger out of the bag and shouted: "This is for Sheikh Yassin, and for the rest you'll pay in liberated prisoners."

6 soldiers killed in Gaza; troops pour in as Strip cut in 3
ARNON REGULAR
Ha'aretz, 11 May 2004

Six Israel Defense Forces soldiers from the Givati Brigade's engineering company were killed in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, when a bomb exploded under the armored personnel carrier (APC) in which they were travelling.

8 Palestinians hurt in Hamas-Fatah gunfight
ARNON REGULAR
Ha'aretz, 9 May 2004

Activists from rival groups clash during university election campaign

At least eight Palestinians were injured yesterday in the center of Nablus when a gunfight broke out between Hamas and Fatah activists.

It is believed to be the first incident of its kind since the start of the intifada.

Time for the soldiers to speak out
GIDEON LEVY
Ha'aretz, 2 May 2004

When will the soldiers at long last start talking? When will their consciences get the better of them? When will they sit at home and tell the truth about what they did in their army service in the territories? Recently there have been a few signs that this inevitable process, already very late in appearing, may be about to occur. If so, it could signal an important shift. The refuseniks made their contribution but apparently have exhausted their strength and their influence. Now, the talking soldiers' turn has come. Those who do not refuse to serve - indeed, they are ready to go on bearing the burden - but who at least will tell the unvarnished truth at home.

A sudden concern for the Palestinian child
GIDEON LEVY
Ha'aretz, 27 March 2004

Suddenly, Israelis are worried about the bitter fate of a Palestinian child. To judge by the public shock over Hussam Bilal Abdu, who was caught wearing an explosives belt at the Hawara checkpoint, it would seem that nothing of a humane nature is foreign to us, even when it pertains to an enemy and his children. But this is an infuriating show of concern. The fate of a Palestinian child only touches us when it suits us, when it serves our purposes and when our hands are not involved.

Utter silence from the IDF
ARI SHAVIT
Ha'aretz, 25 March 2004

The world is in an uproar, the Middle East is in a state of turbulence, but the top echelons of the Israel Defense Forces are utterly silent. There are no signs of anxiety, no inkling of regret, and also no euphoria. Two whole days after it carried off the dramatic mega-assassination, the senior command is not really apprehensive of a mega-attack. In its assessment, the reactions to the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin will not be apocalyptic. Yes, Hamas will attempt to create a new balance of terror but, no, the Middle East will not go up in flames. Part of the Palestinian public actually welcomes the move. Some of the Arab countries are also satisfied.