Siege of Ramallah - 2002-03-13

Israeli forces continue to heavily besiege the city of Ramallah one day after their assault on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which resulted in the deaths of over 30 Palestinians. During the Israeli soldiers' search in Ramallah for Palestinian militants and weapons, sporadic clashes have been reported. According to reports, today the deputy commander of Yasser Arafat's personal guard and an Italian freelance journalist were killed by Israeli fire. Israeli tanks and soldiers engaged in heavy exchanges of fire with armed Palestinians during attacks on Palestinian refugee camps in Ramallah and the Jabalia camp in Gaza on Tuesday. Israel has stated that the aim of the assault is to eradicate Palestinians who attack Israel or carry out suicide bombings against the country. An Israeli army general stated that Israeli soldiers have arrested dozens, discovered bomb-making factories, and seized many weapons. Israeli tanks have once again been stationed near Yasser Arafat's headquarters, while on Monday the Israeli government announced the end of a three-month siege on the Palestinian leader, allowing him to move freely in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. On Tuesday, unidentified armed individuals killed six Israelis in northern Israel near the Lebanese border. Israeli soldiers killed two of these individuals and are searching for others who may have collaborated with them. The armed individuals were reportedly wearing Israeli army uniforms, and Israeli officials say they do not know whether they entered Israel from Lebanon or from Palestinian territories. According to the Associated Press, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade has claimed responsibility for this attack; the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade is a branch of the Fatah movement, which is led by Yasser Arafat.