Military

DATE=10/20/2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= Israel-Palestinians (L-update)

NUMBER=2-268233

BYLINE= Sonja Pace

DATELINE= Jerusalem

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Casualty figures continued to rise Friday from some of deadliest clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces throughout the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. At least nine Palestinians were reported killed. In light of the continuing violence, Prime Minister Ehud Barak says, Israel may seek a "time-out" from the peace process. VOA's Sonja Pace has details from Jerusalem.

TEXT: Friday turned out to be one of the bloodiest days in the past weeks of confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. Fierce clashes raged throughout the West Bank, with some of the worst fighting occurring in Nablus. By day's end prospects for a cease-fire seemed shattered.

The day began with sporadic clashes after the Muslim Friday prayers. Palestinian youths hurled stones and firebombs at Israeli checkpoints. Israeli soldiers responded with tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition. Casualty figures mounted rapidly, Palestinians armed with automatic rifles entered the fray and soon the violence seemed to spin out of control. There were gruesome accounts of Palestinian teenagers shot in the head and chest.

Six Israelis,five soldiers and one civilian, were slightly injured when their bus strayed into the Palestinian town of Tulkarm and came under fire from Palestinian gunmen.

An Israeli tank and helicopter gun-ships fired on the Palestinian village of Beit Jala near Jerusalem and helicopter gun-ships were also in action against the (Palestinian)village of Beit Sahour near Bethlehem.

In a nationwide television interview, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said his government will re-assess the situation and decide whether to take a "time-out" from the peace process after this weekend's Arab League summit in Cairo.

At least 115 people have been killed in over three weeks of violence almost all of them Palestinians. Last Tuesday both sides met in Sharm al-Sheik, Egypt and agreed to a U-S-brokered effort to stop the confrontations and ease tensions. Each side blames the other for the escalating violence and for not living up to its part of the Sharm al-Sheik understanding. (Signed)

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