Military

DATE=10/30/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS / MILITARY (L-O)

NUMBER=2-268631

BYLINE=JENNY BADNER

DATELEINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Israeli army officials (on Monday) announced a new strategy to counter Palestinian gunmen who have been shooting at Israeli targets. The announcement came on the same day a Palestinian doctor accused Israel of using excessive force against Palestinians. Jenny Badner has more from Jerusalem.

TEXT: Israel's deputy defense minister, Efraim Sneh, says Israeli troops will no longer just respond to Palestinian fire. From now on, they will take the initiative, including using military units trained in guerrilla warfare.

Israeli army spokesman Ra'anan Gissen says Israel is adopting the new strategy to counter the sharp increase in Palestinian attacks against Jewish neighborhoods and settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

/// GISSEN ACT ///

In the past, up to this point, we only reacted, now, with this new approach, the army, or the officers, I would say, will have a relatively free hand to initiate actions against gunmen, against the location in order to not just deter but to make it very difficult for them to concentrate on the shootings that they are doing during the night.

/// END ACT ///

On the same day Israel was announcing its new initiative, a Palestinian doctor accused Israeli forces of using excessive force against protesters. Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi directs a medical relief organization that treats Palestinians injured in clashes with the Israelis. It is the largest organization of its kind in the Palestinian territories.

At a news conference in Jerusalem, Dr. Barghouti urged the international community to step in to prevent more bloodshed.

/// BARGHOUTHI ACT ///

Unless international protection is provided immediately to protect the Palestinians against attacks by the Israeli army and Israeli settlers, we are going to go into a very very dangerous situation. This place can become another Kosovo. We can end up having thousands of people dead and we can end up having hundreds of thousand injured. This is very dangerous. The whole country is under siege.

/// END ACT ///

Meanwhile, an Israeli security guard was shot dead and another seriously injured in east Jerusalem. Israeli police say they believe a Palestinian gunmen was responsible for the shootings.

About 150 people, almost all of them Palestinian, have been killed since the violence began late last month. (SIGNED)

NEB/JB/KL/RAE