Israel launched air strikes on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's helicopter compound in the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank city of Jenin on Monday in retaliation for a devastating wave of suicide bombings.
A helicopter missile strike wrecked three of Arafat's helicopters and damaged a hangar in densely populated Gaza City. At least 17 people were injured, hospital officials said.
Little more than an hour later, two Israeli warplanes fired missiles at one of Arafat's West Bank offices and a Palestinian police headquarters in Jenin, witnesses and army officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
In Gaza, people fled the packed streets in panic as columns of smoke rose into the air. Arafat was in the West Bank city of Ramallah at the time.
Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said the missile strike showed Israel was trying to destroy Arafat's Palestinian Authority and he called on the United States to force a halt to the bombardment.
Arafat's helicopters have been regarded by Israelis and Palestinians alike as a symbol of his freedom of movement in governing Palestinian areas that he wants for the creation of an independent state.
Sharon sent his forces into action after returning from talks in Washington with President George W. Bush, who dispatched envoy Anthony Zinni last week on a new peace mission.
"Obviously Israel has the right to defend itself and the president understands that clearly," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
Addressing the nation shortly after the missile attacks, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon blamed Arafat for what he said was a war of terrorism and called him the biggest obstacle to peace.
"It is the aim of the terrorists...to exile us from here," he said. "This will not happen. We know who is responsible, Arafat is responsible for everything that is going on."
Palestinian cabinet minister Erekat told Reuters: "Sharon tonight has declared war." He denied Arafat was to blame for 14 months of conflict and pointed the finger at Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
An Israeli political source said the rapid succession of attacks was just the beginning of Israel's response to the weekend bombings that killed 25 people in Jerusalem and Haifa in one of the bloodiest coordinated onslaughts in years.
The militant Islamic group Hamas took responsibility for the bombings, which opened a bloody new phase in a conflict in which at least 742 Palestinians and 222 Israelis have been killed.
Arafat's Palestinian Authority has dismissed suggestions he was to blame for the weekend attacks by failing to crack down on violence. His security forces say they have arrested more than 100 militants since the bombings.
Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin said the missile strike "was intended to send a very clear signal. Either Arafat...will fight terrorism or we will have to do it".
Three Israeli attack helicopters were seen off the coast of the Gaza Strip firing at least 14 missiles in quick succession that were followed by heavy machinegun fire.
Three of Arafat's helicopters were left in flames at the compound, about 70 metres (yards) from Arafat's home and 200 metres (yards) from his main offices.
The attacks began shortly after Sharon ended emergency talks on how to respond to the suicide attacks, in which more than 200 people were wounded.
"I think Sharon wants to destroy the peace process and the Palestinian Authority," Erekat said. "He should know that bloodshed breeds bloodshed."
(China Daily December 4, 2001)
