Скачать или смотреть MIDDLE EAST: VIOLENCE LATEST

(6 Nov 2000) English/Nat

Violence continued in the Middle East on Monday ahead of a new round of talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak accused the Palestinians of not doing enough to implement a ceasefire agreement, and rejected a Palestinian call for expanded foreign mediation.

While the Palestinians complained that U-S mediation has been ineffective and demanded the European Union, Russia and the United Nations also be included in discussions.

Clashes broke out on Monday in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, leaving seven Palestinians injured, including a 15-year-old boy who lost both his eyes when hit by gunfire.

While violence has declined it has not stopped since the two sides reached a tentative truce last Thursday, aimed at ending five weeks of fighting that has claimed at least 170 lives, the vast majority Palestinian.

Arafat plans to meet President Clinton in Washington on Thursday, and Barak is to hold talks with the President on Sunday.

With peace negotiations for a political settlement on hold, the leaders appear focused on the more immediate goal of ending the bloodletting.

After a Palestinian gunmen opened fire on several Israeli enclaves on Sunday night, the Israeli army responded by firing tank shells into the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian residents of Deir Balah awoke on Monday morning to survey the damage of the latest shelling.

This young girl explained how her visit to see the aftermath of the shelling ended in a narrow escape.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I wanted to see what had happened yesterday, last night and so I get upstairs and I just entered the third floor, the reception of the third floor and I saw this missile, the big one and suddenly he shot me and so I ran very, very quickly, I get down."
SUPER CAPTION: Amira Gashir, bystander

In Gaza, the now familiar sight of mourning took place as the body of Merwan Ghimri, killed in Sunday's clashes, was carried through the streets.

The current violence has hardened attitudes on both sides and put seven years of peace negotiations on hold.

Many Israelis say their faith in the peace process has been shaken.

Similarly many Palestinians believe they have gained little from the lengthy negotiations.

The last five weeks of violence is the worst bloodshed since peace talks began in 1993.

The Palestinians maintain the September 28th visit by hawkish Israeli politician Ariel Sharon to a disputed Jerusalem site holy to both Jews and Arabs was the spark that ignited the bloodshed.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...