MIDDLE EAST: SIX PALESTINIANS KILLED IN ISRAELI HELICOPTER STRIKE ON CAR CARRYING SUSPECTED MILITANTS IN GAZA STRIP / ISRAELI FORCES SURROUND YASSER ARAFAT'S HEADQUARTERS IN RAMALLAH/ HAMAS SPIRITUAL LEADER SHEIKH YASSIN PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST

Record ID: 640779

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: SIX PALESTINIANS KILLED IN ISRAELI HELICOPTER STRIKE ON CAR CARRYING SUSPECTED MILITANTS IN GAZA STRIP / ISRAELI FORCES SURROUND YASSER ARAFAT'S HEADQUARTERS IN RAMALLAH/ HAMAS SPIRITUAL LEADER SHEIKH YASSIN PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST
  • Date: 24th June 2002
  • Summary: (W1) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) NIGHT SHOTS OF ISRAELI TANKS, JEEPS AND ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS IN STREETS (2 SHOTS) HAS: TROOPS AND ARMY VEHICLES MOVING TOWARDS ARAFAT'S HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS REUTERS CAMERAMAN MOHAMMED HASSAN AND SOUND-RECORDIST ABDEL-KARIM KHADER BEING DETAINED BY ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES SLV: PEOPLE IN THE WINDOW OF NEARBY HOUSE LAS: MORE OF REUTERS CAMERAMAN AND SOUND-RECORDIST BEING DETAINED (W2) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) SV: PALESTINIAN FLAG ON TOP OF THE DAMAGED ROOF OF PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT'S OFFICE DAY SHOTS OF ISRAELI TANKS, JEEPS AND ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS AROUND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT'S COMPOUND (2 SHOTS) MV/SV: ISRAELI SOLDIERS IN APC'S OUTSIDE ARAFAT'S COMPOUND (2 SHOTS) SLV: PEOPLE LOOKING OUT FROM ARAFAT'S COMPOUND SV'S: ISRAELI SOLDIERS WALKING TOWARDS MEDIA, DECLARING THE AREA NEAR ARAFAT'S COMPOUND AS CLOSED MILITARY ZONE (2 SHOTS) MV: MORE OF TROOPS AND ARMY VEHICLES IN THE CITY (W3) BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) SV/MV: ISRAELI APC'S DRIVING THROUGH STREET (2 SHOTS) VIEW OF THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY LV: WOMEN WALKING NEARBY MV: MAN SEATED BY CHURCH ZOOM OUT: TWO NUNS WALK BY CHURCH (W4) JENIN, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) SLV: EXTERIOR BUILDING WHICH ISRAELI FORCES BLEW UP VARIOUS OF DAMAGE INSIDE THE BUILDING (3 SHOTS) LV: ISRAELI SOLDIERS IN STREETS (W4) FAWARA REFUGEE CAMP, HEBRON, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) PAN: ISRAELI TANKS ON THE ROAD NEAR HEBRON WS/SLV: ISRAELI SOLDIERS AND VEHICLES (2 SHOTS) LV: BULLDOZER (W3) JERUSALEM (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) SCU: MEDIA SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES, SAYING: "No Sir, there is not any incursion to reoccupy the territories. It is nonsense. We have an international agreement, we shall respect it. We don't intend to go back and govern the lives of the Palestinians who reside there." (U2) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) SV: PALESTINIAN LABOUR MINISTER, GHASSAN KHATIB WALKING OUT OF HIS OFFICE SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN LABOUR MINISTER, GHASSAN KHATIB, SAYING: "Israeli's occupation of Ramallah is another step in bringing back the two sides into pre-peace process situation, into a direct Israeli control by force of the Palestinian people. This is only going to increase the suffering of the Palestinian people, this is only going to increase the casualties of Palestinian civilians and this is only going to deepen the hatred, hostility and violence between the two sides." (U3) GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP (JUNE 24, 2002) (REUTERS) LV: EXTERIOR SHEIKH YASSIN'S HOUSE VARIOUS: PALESTINIAN GUNMEN AND HAMAS SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE YASSIN'S HOUSE (4 SHOTS) MV: YASSIN INSIDE THE HOUSE SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHEIKH AHMED YASSIN, SAYING: "The US (United States) has given Israel the green light to attack Palestinians, and it supports the Palestinian Authority's attacks on the Palestinian people who are struggling against occupation. The Palestinian Authority should be aware that this decision is completely unacceptable. Our people will not accept such attacks on them, or such detention, and the US is watching this trying to cause a conflict amongst the Palestinians. We have to be free like everyone else in the world so the US, Israel and the rest of the world cannot impose their conditions on us." SV: MORE OF PALESTINIAN GUNMEN OUTSIDE YASSIN'S HOUSE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RAMALLAH, JENIN, HEBRON, WEST BANK / RAFAH AND GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP / JERUSALEM
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA8J2CL1R1Y28E18CZFCUOWW0F8
  • Story Text: Israeli forces have killed six Palestinians in a helicopter missile strike on a car carrying suspected militants in the Gaza Strip and surrounded Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
    In an apparent response to intense Israeli and international pressure to rein in militants, the Palestinian Authority has imposed a house arrest order on Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the wheelchair-bound founder and spiritual mentor of the Islamic militant group Hamas.
    Helicopters fired at least four missiles at a car travelling on the outskirts of southern Gaza's Rafah refugee camp on Monday (June 24), leaving the vehicle a burning wreck and scattering body parts around it, witnesses said.
    The missile strike was the latest in a spasm of violence that has complicated plans by U.S. President George W. Bush to deliver a speech expected to outline a path to a Palestinian state. U.S. officials said he could make the speech on Monday.
    The attack in Gaza appeared to be the latest strike in Israel's policy of killing Palestinian militants it blames for suicide bombings and shooting attacks against Israelis in a 21-month-old uprising against Israeli occupation.
    The two senior militants killed in Monday's Gaza strike were identified by Hamas as Yassir Rezik and Amar Quffa.
    Israeli army declined comment on the missile strike.
    Shortly before the attack, Israel sent columns of tanks into Ramallah and surrounded Arafat's presidential headquarters, already battered during fighting previous army incursions into the city just north of Jerusalem.
    Ramallah is the sixth Palestinian city to be taken over in the past week by Israel, which has said it will reoccupy Palestinian-ruled areas and hold them until Palestinian suicide bombings and shooting attacks end.
    As part of the policy, more Israeli troops arrived in the towns of Hebron and Bethlehem.
    In Jenin Israeli forces partly destroyed a commercial building housing a bank in what Israeli officials said was a controlled explosion of a bomb laboratory hidden in the complex.
    Residents said the northern part of the three-storey building, including a section of the Jenin branch of the Cairo-Amman bank, were destroyed in the explosion.
    Israel announced the policy after two Palestinian suicide bombings in Jerusalem last week killed 26 Israelis and prompted Bush to delay his Middle East policy address. It has called up about 2,000 reservists to assist its offensive.
    On Monday (June 24) Israel denied it had any intention of re-occupying Palestinian territories.
    "No, there is not any incursion to reoccupy the territories. It is nonsense. We have an international agreement, we shall respect it. We don't intend to go back and govern the lives of the Palestinians who reside there, "
    said Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.
    But Palestinian officials accused Israel of planning to destroy the Palestinian Authority and the peace process.
    "Israeli's occupation of Ramallah is another step in bringing back the two sides into pre-peace process situation, into a direct Israeli control by force of the Palestinian people. This is only going to increase the suffering of the Palestinian people, this is only going to increase the casualties of Palestinian civilians and this is only going to deepen the hatred, hostility and violence between the two sides," said Palestinian Labour minister Ghassan Khatib.
    Arafat is under intense Israeli and international pressure to rein in militants and overhaul the Palestinian Authority.
    In an apparent response to that pressure, the Palestinian Authority put Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the wheelchair-bound founder and spiritual mentor of the Islamic militant group Hamas, under house arrest in Gaza City early on Monday.
    The house arrest was imposed "to safeguard the ultimate national interests of the Palestinian people" a Palestinian security official told Reuters adding that the decision was issued from Arafat's office. But with Hamas enjoying strong grass-roots support, it was unclear how effective the measures would be. Palestinian police kept their distance from Yassin's house, which was ringed by dozens of armed Hamas members on Monday, witnesses said.
    One man was shot and wounded when police broke up a march by dozens of Hamas supporters near Yassin's house, Hamas members and hospital officials said.
    Police said the Hamas supporters opened fire, but the protesters said the police started the shooting.
    Yassin is paralysed and partly blind and deaf. He told Reuters shortly after the announcement of the house arrest order that he would not obey it.
    "The US has given Israel the green light to attack Palestinians and it supports the Palestinian Authority's attacks on the Palestinian people who are struggling against occupation. The Palestinian Authority should be aware that this decision is completely unacceptable," Yassin said.
    The Palestinian Authority last imposed house arrest on Yassin in December, but Israeli officials dismissed it as a ploy and restrictions on his movements were gradually lifted.
    Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction and its militants have claimed responsibility for suicide attacks which have killed scores of Israelis.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register