DATE=3/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL CLASH (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259775
BYLINE=JENNY BADNER
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Israeli police say at least two Palestinians
belonging to the Hamas guerrilla group were killed in
exchange of gunfire and a series of explosions in an
Arab town in the northern part of the country. Jenny
Badner in Jerusalem reports that after the shootout,
Israeli authorities moved in bulldozers to demolish
the building where the suspects were said to be
preparing terrorist attacks.
TEXT: Soon after bulldozers started destroying the
suspected guerrilla hideout, shots were fired by
Israeli police who apparently were concerned that more
militants remained inside.
Israeli police say they demolished the building in the
Arab town of Taibeh, north of Tel Aviv, because
Palestinians were using the premises to prepare
terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.
Police spokeswoman Sivan Kedmi says security forces
did not enter the building because they suspected
additional guerrillas and explosives remained inside.
When asked if the bulldozers would kill any remaining
occupants, Ms. Kedmi said "they will kill them,
because they are terrorists."
The demolition ended a long standoff between Israeli
police and the Palestinians inside the building.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh told reporters
the attack being planned by the Palestinians was aimed
at civilians inside Israel.
/// SNEH ACT ///
What I can say is that they intended to carry
out an explosion in centers, in one of Israel's
towns, and to inflict a very big number of
casualties.
/// END ACT ///
Hours before the building was demolished, there was a
shootout between the occupants and police and there
were a number of explosions.
The shooting started after two of the occupants left
the premises, one carrying a pistol, the other with a
suitcase of explosives. Both were killed. But it is
not clear whether they were shot by police or died
when the bomb in the suitcase exploded.
Although the area was sealed off and neighbors were
ordered inside, onlookers watched the scene from
surrounding rooftops as police helicopters flew
overhead, and robots and dogs searched for more bombs.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh says the
Palestinians were members of the Islamic militant
group, Hamas.
/// SNEH ACT ///
Hamas is one of four terror organizations that
Iran is urging to act to derail the peace
process by deadly terrorist acts.
/// END ACT ///
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak echoed Mr. Sneh's
comments, and called the incident a resurgence of
terrorist activity. (Signed)
NEB/JB/JWH/JP
02-Mar-2000 14:17 PM EDT (02-Mar-2000 1917 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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