Military

DATE=03/07/2005

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (L)

NUMBER=2-323051

BYLINE= LARRY JAMES

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: West Bank Shooting Threatens Fragile Israeli-Palestinian Ceasefire

INTRO: Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli military post, near a

religious shrine in the West Bank city, Hebron, Monday, wounding two border

policemen and threatening a fragile Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire. VOA's Larry

James reports from Jerusalem.

TEXT: The army says the gunmen opened fire at troops guarding the Tomb of the

Patriarchs, a shrine revered by both Muslims and Jews.

Witnesses say gunmen fired dozens of shots in Monday's attack. Three weeks ago in the city, Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian who the army said tried to stab a soldier.

Hebron is often a flash point for violence. Some 400 to 500 Jewish settlers,

protected by Israeli soldiers, live among a Palestinian population in the city of

some 120 thousand.

The attack threatens a fragile ceasefire agreed to last month between Israeli

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, at a meeting

in the Egyptian Red Sea resort, Sharm el Sheikh.

Israel has been calling on Mr. Abbas to crackdown on those militant groups who do

not abide by the ceasefire.

For his part, Mr. Abbas has said a promised Israeli pullback from Palestinian

cities in the West Bank will be vital in his efforts to restore calm. Israel had

planned to turn over several West Bank towns to Palestinian security forces, but

froze the handover after a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on February 25th, that killed

five Israelis and wounded dozens more.

Mr. Abbas is expected to meet Tuesday with Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz

to discuss the possible handover of West Bank towns. Some Palestinian officials

also say Israel will hand over Tulkarem, Tuesday, removing most, if not

all the checkpoints around the town. (signed).

NEB/LDJ/WD