NABLUS, West Bank, 14 July — Two Palestinian activists from the Hamas movement were assassinated yesterday in targeted killing by Israeli forces as the United States said it had given “no green light” for any Israeli military assault on the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
That message was conveyed late Thursday by US Secretary of State Colin Powell to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during a phone conversation Sharon initiated, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.
Washington’s concern over news reports that Israel has drafted an invasion plan to deliver a “knockout blow” to Palestinian Authority was apparent in a parade of Israeli defense officials expected in Washington next week to meet with Powell and other State Department officials.
In another development, Sharon sent a message to Palestine President Yasser Arafat yesterday through his son, Omri, warning the Palestinian leader of a large-scale catastrophic attack if he failed to stop violence.
The killings of Hamas activists capped one of the worst 24 hours of violence since a would-be cease-fire was declared exactly one month ago, further scuttling hopes for an international plan to get the two sides back on the road toward peace talks.
Palestinian security sources said 27-year-old Fawaz Badran was killed when a car he was walking by exploded. The car packed with explosives was blown up in the West Bank town of Tulkarem by remote control. Another member of Hamas was shot dead earlier by Israeli troops in the north of the Gaza Strip.
With lights in Hebron out during an electricity outage, Israeli troops and tanks swept into Palestinian areas of the divided city before dawn and pounded buildings and checkpoints with shells and machine-gun fire. Three members of Force 17, the elite guard of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, as well as at least 14 civilians were wounded before the Israelis pulled out. Sharon, who returned from a 24-hour visit to Italy in the afternoon, said in Rome that Israel would now retaliate for every Palestinian attack, apparently renouncing on his self-declared “restraint” policy.
Sharon earlier reiterated in a speech to Italy’s Jewish community yesterday that he will not negotiate with the Palestinians until calm returns to the region.
The Palestinians say they are doing all they can to control anti-Israeli attacks and live up to the June 13 cease-fire and that Israel’s demand for a total end to the violence before moving forward with the Mitchell peace plan is unrealistic.
Israeli radio said settlers went on the rampage again yesterday, beating up two Palestinians.
In Cairo, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said yesterday that he had called for Arab foreign ministers to meet in Cairo on Wednesday to formulate a response to Israel’s latest actions against Arabs.
