Military

DATE=11/14/2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (L)

NUMBER=2-269208

BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: The Israeli Army is blockading Palestinian-ruled areas after gunmen shot and killed four Israelis. As Correspondent Meredith Buel reports from Jerusalem, at least three Palestinians were killed in continuing clashes that have left more than 210-people, mostly Palestinians, dead.

TEXT: Israel has closed roads and sealed off areas in the Palestinian territories after four of its citizens were killed Monday in shooting attacks in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The move has virtually paralyzed life in the territories, as Palestinians are not being allowed to move between towns and villages, except for humanitarian reasons.

In the West Bank town of Ramallah, some offices of the Palestinian Authority have been evacuated and school children sent home early, because of concern the Israeli military may retaliate with attacks by combat helicopters.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak cut short an overseas trip, and is returning to Israel to deal with the increasingly deadly clashes and to meet with top security officials.

Israeli cabinet minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, charged the Palestinians with adopting a new strategy of what he called - death on the roads.

An Israeli military analyst, Gal Luft, says armed Palestinian militias, such as the Tanzim, are in the process of launching a prolonged war of terrorism and guerrilla actions against Israelis.

/// LUFT ACT ///

I think that most of the operations will be conducted, probably by members of the Tanzim, or the civilian militias. To conduct these kinds of operations you need usually no more than a squad or two so you do not need heavy formations or very complicated bodies. I think that most of these activities will be happening on the main roads of transportation which Israeli civilians move on. We could see roadside bombs or ambushes. I think this is the kind of guerrilla operation we are likely to see in the future.

/// END ACT ///

In new clashes, Israeli soldiers killed Palestinian protestors in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The Palestinians say that Wednesday they will mark the anniversary of President Yasser Arafat's symbolic declaration of independence, made in exile 12-years ago.

Mr. Arafat's Fatah movement is calling for Palestinians to keep Israeli soldiers and civilians out of the West Bank to mark the day. (SIGNED)

NEB/MB/GE/RAE