International
Israel takes over West Bank town
By Kesava Menon
Manama (Bahrain), Jan. 21. For the first time since the outbreak of the 16-month-long spell of confrontation, Israel Defence Forces today entered all the parts of a city _ Tulkaram _ that had been handed over to full Palestinian control. Israel insisted that this was merely in continuation of its operations against Islamic militants and not a re-occupation of Palestinian territory. But unless Israel pulls out of Tulkaram swiftly, the Palestinians, who have seen the siege tighten around them over the last week, are not likely to be convinced.
Several dozen Israeli tanks and armoured personnel carriers were reported to have entered Tulkaram, a West Bank town that lies almost on the boundary with Israel, in the early hours of the morning. With the armoured vehicles in position and helicopters patrolling overhead, the Israelis were said to have launched house-to-house searches for Palestinian militants. The reports spoke of Hamas and Islamic Jehad activists being among those being taken first into custody. However, the most recent spiral of violence was sparked off with the killing of a Fatah activist and a breakaway faction of the Fatah has taken responsibility for the mass killing of Israelis that took place subsequently.
It appears unlikely that the Israelis are not rounding up Fatah members as well in Tulkaram. Israel, in a gesture that is perhaps intended more for the international community than the Palestinians, has declared that their objective in entering Tulkaram is merely to round up wanted men
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