Israelis Fire On Militants

Increase In Palestinian Militant Attacks Threatens Cease-Fire

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JERUSALEM, May 18, 2005 | by Lloyd de Vries

(CBS/AP)  An Israeli aircraft on Wednesday fired at a group of Hamas militants who were preparing to shoot mortar shells at a Jewish settlement, the army and witnesses said, the first such airstrike since a fragile cease-fire was declared in February.

The Israeli strike, combined with a recent increase in militant attacks on Gaza settlements, strained the truce and threatened to derail efforts to restart peace moves.

In other developments:

Palestinian witnesses said Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian militant at the edge of the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza. Residents said they heard an explosion, and then a gunshot, which killed Ahmed Barhoum, 22, a Hamas member.

Two days after hundreds of young activists blocked dozens of highways, Vice Premier Shimon Peres warned that Israeli police will take a harsher response against Gaza pullout protesters if the demonstrations continue.

On Wednesday, the Settler Rabbis Council issued a statement encouraging the demonstrators in what they called a "holy war." "We give our support the thousands of protesters and hundreds of detainees who took part in the nonviolent protests against the expulsion decrees and destruction," the statement said.

A Palestinian court early Wednesday ordered a new vote in three of the 14 polling stations in local elections in the southern Gaza town of Rafah. The decision accepted claims by the ruling Fatah Party of irregularities at the hands of rival Hamas. Hamas did well in three rounds of local voting, forecasting a good showing in parliamentary elections set for July 17.

The airstrike came minutes after militants had fired four mortar shells at the Gush Katif settlement bloc. The army said it spotted two Palestinians preparing to fire more mortars when it attacked.

Hamas said one of its members was critically wounded while conducting a "holy mission."

Israel had not responded to a barrage of recent mortar and rocket attacks aimed at the settlements in recent weeks, prompting strong criticism from the residents, who said the government was leaving them defenseless.

The government had said it would retaliate against militants who attacked as it prepares to withdraw from Gaza this summer, Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin said.

"What do you expect us to do if they are attacking us," he said, adding that part of the truce agreement allowed Israel to respond to attacks from Palestinian areas if the Palestinian security forces themselves are doing nothing to prevent the violence.

Evacuation of all 21 Gaza settlements and four in the West Bank would be the first time Israel has ever removed established settlements from those areas after nearly four decades of construction and expansion.

Earlier this week, Israeli police scuffled with protesters and arrested more than 300, the largest round of arrests since protests against the planned withdrawal from Gaza began several months ago.

However, Peres said police would use more forceful measures against them.

"The police are trying to do things as gently as possible. If there will be an escalation in protests, I believe there will be an escalation in the response," Peres told Israel Radio.

Peres said in the future police would use riot control gear such as water cannons.

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©MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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