BBC Fatah commander escapes attack

Palestinians vow revenge at Abu Bakra's

Israeli troops in the West Bank have shot and injured the commander of a militia belonging to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, Palestinian sources said.

The man, Ahmad Mustafa Bisharat, who heads the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Battalions, was hit in the leg and shoulder by Israeli fire in the village of Tammun, but was reported to have escaped.

In the Gaza Strip, thousands of Palestinians have taken to the streets amid calls for revenge at the funeral of a Fatah member who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in an overnight incursion into the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian hospital officials said 29-year-old Abdel Rahman Abu Bakra died from a shot in the head.

Ten other Palestinians were injured, three of them seriously, after Israeli tanks, bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers moved about 150 metres into Palestinian territory near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The Israeli army said it entered the area and "identified a squad of armed terrorists on their way to carry out an attack".

Mr Abu Bakra was said to be among the men who opened fire on the Israeli soldiers when they entered the refugee camp.

Braced for attack

Israel is braced for further suicide bombings by Palestinian militants and has tightened its grip around three cities in the West Bank - Bethlehem, Ramallah and Qalqilya.

Israeli military incursions in the Gaza strip have taken place on numerous occasions in recent months - usually lasting only a few hours.

Earlier this week, there was also an unprecedented incursion into the centre of the West Bank town of Jenin, described by Israel's army chief Shaul Mofaz as a "city of bombers".

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat complained on Saturday that Israel was sending conflicting messages.

"We hear (Israeli Foreign Minister) Shimon Peres speaking of a dialogue and we welcome that and then we see tanks in Khan Younis in the night and one dead. We cannot continue with this double language," Mr Erekat said.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon toured army positions in Gaza. Mr Sharon also visited Gush Katif, a block of Jewish settlements which abuts Khan Younis.

Palestinians have launched a series of suicide bombings against Israeli targets in the past month, including a devastating bomb which killed 15 people at a Jerusalem restaurant nine days ago.

Egypt mission

Diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis have continued with a senior Egyptian official, Osama al-Baz, presenting new peace proposals to US Secretary of State Colin Powell during talks in Washington.

Mr al-Baz did not offer details of his plan, but correspondents said Egypt appeared to accept American and Israeli rejection of international monitors being deployed in the region.

"We are not getting the UN to impose anything because prior to that we are thinking of having joint efforts and co-ordination by the parties immediately concerned," Mr al-Baz said.

The US, Israel's closest ally on the Security Council, vetoed a resolution calling for the establishment of a monitoring team earlier this year, reflecting Israeli opposition to the proposal.

The Palestinian leadership has called on Washington to better understand the Palestinian stance and "not parrot Israeli statements that cover the Israeli aggression".

The issue of monitors will be discussed by the UN Security Council in a special session called for by Arab states on Monday.

Another funeral

Thousands of mourners attended a military-style funeral of Suleiman Najjab, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee on Saturday in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Mr Arafat was among the mourners for Mr Najjab, who died of cancer in the United States last week at the age of 67.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2001