Israeli forces launched a large-scale ground operation into the
West Bank city of Nablus Sunday morning, targeting what Israel says
were Palestinian terrorist cells.
Witnesses said that up to 60 military vehicles along with some
bulldozers rolled into the city's old district and imposed a
curfew, adding that Israeli soldiers positioned themselves inside
the houses.
Clashes sparked between militants, stone throwers, and Israeli
soldiers. Israeli sources said that two soldiers were wounded.
Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli army arrested at
least six people in the west part of the city after they took
refuge in a house.
Meanwhile, Israeli Radio reported that two Israeli soldiers were
injured in the armed clashes that erupted between the Israeli
forces and the Palestinian gunmen in the city. The sources added
that today's incursion was the biggest since 2002 Operation
Defensive Shield.
The Israeli troops also laid siege to the National Hospital in
the city where the soldiers verified the identities of people being
admitted and treated. This purpose of this measure is to help
locate suspected militants.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health issued a statement demanding
the siege on hospitals to be lifted.
Meanwhile, local media reported that Israel's Supreme Planning
Council for Judea and Samaria recently legalized the largest-ever
illegal construction project, which was partially situated on
Palestinian private land in the village of Bil'in in the West
Bank.
The plan includes the construction of 42 buildings containing
about 1,500 apartments in the neighborhood of Matityahu East, which
is located in the large ultra-Orthodox settlement of Modi'in Illit,
Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported Sunday.
Peace Now, Israeli peace protest movement, and Bil'in residents
filed a petition against the construction a week ago at the High
Court of Justice.
The petitioners' attorney Michael Sfard said the planning
authorities knew about the illegal circumstances and did nothing to
stop the construction.
The petition said that the planning council's decision would
"bury the criminal act and the impaired rights of ownership deep in
the earth, and would quickly lead to continued construction of the
neighborhood."
Justice Salim Joubran ordered the state to respond to the
petition by March 6.
About one year ago, the Israeli High Court ordered a halt on the
construction and occupation of the building following another
petition by Peace Now and Palestinian residents in Bil'in, a small
village separated in two parts by Israeli barrier. Israel began
building the barrier in 2002, saying the complex of concrete walls,
razor wire and trenches was intended to keep Palestinian suicide
bombers out of Israel.
(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2007)
