The Hindu : U.S. envoy holds talks with Arafat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 06, 2002

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U.S. envoy holds talks with Arafat

The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, with the U.S. envoy, Anthony Zinni, at his Ramallah headquarters on Friday. - Reuters

NABLUS, APRIL 5. At least 14 Palestinians were killed early today in clashes with Israeli forces in the northern West Bank town of Nablus, even as the U.S. envoy, Anthony Zinni, today began talks with Yasser Arafat at the Palestinian President's besieged headquarters in Ramallah, according to local Palestinian officials. The toll was provided by Nablus's Governor, Mohammed El Allul, superseding a previous toll of seven dead, including six fighters and one civilian.

The toll, however, may be higher as Israeli forces have sealed off areas in which fighting took place in the last few days.

A Palestinian and a 14-yearold girl were killed by machinegun fire today when Israeli tanks opened fire at gunmen in the self-rule village of Tubas, north of Nablus, Palestinian medical sources said.

Gen. Zinni is the first foreign diplomat allowed to see Mr. Arafat since Israel sent tanks to Ramallah a week ago and surrounded his headquarters in an offensive it says is intended to isolate the Palestinian leader and end suicide attacks against Israelis.

Israeli troops threw stun grenades to turn back foreign journalists on their way to cover Gen. Zinni's meeting with Mr. Arafat. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the incident.

A Jerusalem report said that five injured Palestinians were among a group of people, including armed men and monks, who have barricaded themselves in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, a Franciscan monk in the church said today. The soldiers were now directly outside the church door, he said. An Israeli army spokeswoman vehemently denied that soldiers had blown up the door.

- AFP,DPA

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