Hebrew/Arabic/Eng/Nat

Israeli soldiers have killed one Palestinian and wounded three others after opening fire in a West Bank village, prompting clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops brought into the area.

The shooting occurred during a confrontation between soldiers and villagers in the village of Hizme, just north of Jerusalem, in an area under joint Israeli and Palestinian control.

It heightened fears of a new wave of violence in the West Bank, which is already tense because of Israel's plan to begin construction of a new Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.

The killing of one Palestinian and the wounding of three others when Israeli soldiers opened fire in the West Bank village of Hizme Tuesday, prompted clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops.

After the shootings, Palestinian residents began throwing stones at the large numbers of Israeli soldiers and police deployed in the area.

The Israelis responded with tear gas and tried several times to storm the village, drawing a hail of large rocks each time.

After about an hour the area was declared a closed military zone and the clashes died down. No further injuries were reported.

The shootings have heightened fears of a new wave of violence in the West Bank, which is already tense because of Israel's plan to begin construction of a new Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.

Palestinians warn the construction in Har Homa (Jabal abu Ghneim - it's Palestinian name) could derail the peace process.

Gabi Ofir, Israel's top commander in the area, indicated in a briefing that he had only a partial idea of what had happened.

SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew)

"We are in touch with the Palestinian Authority, and we are also aware of the special atmosphere that exists today because of Har Homa, and in fact we are ready in every place."

SUPER CAPTION: Gabi Ofir, West Bank Israeli Defence Force Chief

Witnesses said the gunmen were dressed in civilian clothes, suggesting they were undercover.

Jibril Rajoub, the top Palestinian security official in the West Bank, arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I think it was terrible a Palestinian was killed just because he is a Palestinian. What happened today is a shame for the Israelis."

SUPER CAPTION: Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian Chief of Preventive Security

One of the injured Palestinians brought to the Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem thought the three young men who entered his village armed with handguns and speaking Hebrew were Jewish settlers.

He said they walked up to his house, grabbed his nephew and hit him with the butts of their guns.

When confronted by members of the household, he said, the men opened fire.

Soldiers posted at a nearby checkpoint refused to help, and an army jeep entered the village and left with the gunmen, he said.

Another witness told a similar story.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)

"After a car came from Jabah street, not from El Masoom, the people stopped the car and they took the car by force. When the soldiers came, instead of protecting the public they protected the settlers. They threatened to shoot us and they pushed us away."

SUPER CAPTION: Palestinian at scene of shooting

An Israeli army statement said the Israeli troops had been "attacked" by Palestinian residents and opened fire.

The two other Palestinians injured in the shooting were taken to a hospital in Ramallah.

Hizme is in the West Bank's so-called Zone B, which is part of the Palestinian autonomy but has joint Israeli-Palestinian security control.

In a reflection of the sensitive timing of the incident, Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai ordered his officers to make sure the Palestinians were kept fully informed about the investigation of the incident.

Hizme and Ramallah, West Bank; East Jerusalem, 25 February 1997

Hizme:

1. MS Palestinians stoning Israeli army truck, pull out to truck reversing under attack

2. MS men throwing stones

3. Israeli soldiers running out from truck, grabbing Palestinian man and dragging him into truck

4. CU back of truck with soldiers

5. CU Palestinian with bloody face in truck

6. Various Palestinians stoning Israeli soldiers

7. WS group of Palestinians

8. SOUNDBITE: Gabi Ofir, West Bank Israeli Defence Force Chief (Hebrew)

9. MS Israeli soldiers

10. Pan Israeli army trucks

11. SOUNDBITE: Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian Chief of Preventive Security (English and Arabic)

East Jerusalem:

12. MS people in Al Makassed Hospital ward

13. MS wounded man on bed with bandaged leg, zoom in to leg and blood

14. MS injured man's face

15. CU injured man's leg with blood

16. MS pan men waiting in hospital corridor

17. SOUNDBITE: Palestinian eyewitness to shooting (Arabic)

18. Al Makassed Hospital sign

19. WS exterior hospital

Ramallah:

20. MS man with bandaged head in hospital, pull out to doctor bandaging his arm

21. CU bloody towel on bed, pull out to injured woman on bed

Hizme:

22. WS Palestinians at scene of shooting at night

23. MS group of men talking

24. MS soldiers on guard at scene

25. MS soldiers walking towards ambulance

English/Nat

Palestinians in the West Bank village of Dura on Wednesday buried three construction workers shot dead by Israeli soldiers the previous day.

The killings triggered the worst day of violence in the West Bank in months.

At least 32 Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets in stone throwing clashes with Israeli soldiers in a number of West bank towns and villages.

Troubles flared again on the streets of cities throughout the West Bank.

Palestinians - angry at the latest killings - hurled stones at Israeli troops outside a refugee camp near Hebron.

The soldiers replied with gunfire.

Fiery calls for vengeance and tears of private sorrow in the West Bank village of Dura as three construction workers shot dead by Israeli soldiers on Tuesday are buried.

More than 10-thousand people joined a funeral procession that snaked through the narrow hilly streets to the sound of Koranic verses.

Among the mourners were old men leaning on canes and young masked activists who shouted "Netanyahu is bad, and we'll kill him".

The bodies of the three labourers were driven to a small cemetery in white vans decorated with wreaths of flowers.

Palestinian policemen ran alongside the procession to keep order.

Tuesday's shooting occurred at an army roadblock near the village of Tarkoumiah, west of Hebron, when a van carrying Palestinian workers returning from jobs in Israel tried to bypass a line of cars waiting at the roadblock.

The army said soldiers opened fire after the van struck and injured one of the soldiers.

A Palestinian passenger said troops began shooting after the van sped up to prevent another car from cutting in front of the vehicle.

The killings triggered the worst day of violence in the West Bank in months, with at least 32 Palestinians injured by rubber bullets in stone throwing clashes with Israeli soldiers.

Some of the fiercest clashes took place in Ramallah.

Here, hundreds of students from Bir Zeit University clashed with Israeli soldiers who

shot and wounded at least seven protestors.

The killings came amid growing Palestinian frustration over the stalled peace talks with Israel and there is concern that the incident could trigger widespread violence.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denounced the killings of the labourers as a "big crime".

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It is a big crime against our workers and our labourers who were returning from their work to their homes."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

The Islamic militant movement Hamas said Israel was bearing the responsibility for the latest violent developments in the region.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"All the Israeli events between the Palestinians and the Israelis stopping areas were intended and planned by the Israeli governments. So we are considering that the Israeli authority, the Israeli government are responsible of the killings."

SUPER CAPTION: Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

Israel on Tuesday expressed its condolences for the incident.

A day later, Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai reiterated that the Jewish state was sorry and added the Israeli army was investigating the incident.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We are very sorry about those people who were killed yesterday. We are investigating what happened there. I am going to be there, in the area this afternoon to find out what happened there. I think what it needs is to ask everybody here in this area and in other places to keep order and law and not to change the direction that all of us would like to mobilise the area to the peace-time."

SUPER CAPTION: Yitzhak Mordechai, Israeli Defence Minister

Before Wednesday's funeral, Palestinians clashed briefly with Israeli soldiers outside Dura.

Hospital officials in Hebron said 25 Palestinians were injured in Hebron and Dura.

Two of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.

An Israeli border policeman was slightly injured in the stone throwing.

Dura Village, Ramallah & Hebron, West Bank; Gaza city, Gaza strip; Jerusalem - March 10 1998

Al Fawwar refugee camp, near Hebron

1. Israeli soldier shooting at Palestinian throwing stones.

2. Palestinians throwing stones

3. Palestinians burning tires

Dura Village

4. Wide shot thousands of people in the cemetery

5. People carrying coffins covered with flowers and Palestinian flags

6. Wide shot mourners

7. Close up mourners

Ramallah

8. Palestinians throwing stones toward Israeli soldiers

9. Medium shot Palestinians throwing stones

10. Israeli soldiers firing tear gas and rubber bullets towards Palestinians

11. Various of with Palestinians and Israeli soldiers

12. Student demonstration

13. Wide shot students demonstrating

Gaza Strip

14. Arafat arriving by car at his office

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian president

16. Set up of Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

Jerusalem

18. Meeting between Mordechai and Indian Chief of Staff

19. Cutaway camera

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yitzhak Mordechai, Israel Defence Minister

Hebron, West Bank

21. Large group of Israeli soldiers chasing Palestinians.

22. Soldier tries to kick out fire on ground

23. Large crowd of Palestinians - some throwing stones

English/Nat

Fourteen Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets as Palestinians and Israeli soldiers clashed in protests that swept the West Bank on Thursday.

It was the second full day of protests following the shooting deaths of three Palestinian workers at an Israeli army roadblock.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said he was still committed to the peace process despite the killings.

Troubles continued for a second full day on the streets of West Bank cities on Thursday.

Triggered by the shooting deaths of three Palestinian workers at an army roadblock, Palestinians hurled stones at Israeli soldiers in Hebron.

Palestinian police moved in to disperse the protesters.

Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the angry crowds in five separate locations, including downtown Hebron, the victims' home village and a Jerusalem refugee camp.

Fourteen Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets, and a Palestinian free-lance photographer was struck in the head by a rock.

In a leaflet distributed in the West Bank, Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement had called for protests on Thursday.

Three construction workers were shot and killed at an army roadblock in west of Hebron on Tuesday evening.

The three were riding in a van, along with other workers, and were heading home to their village of Dura.

When the van approached the roadblock, it tried to cut in front of other cars and Israeli soldiers opened fire.

The soldiers said they believed the van had run over one of their comrades and that their lives were in danger.

But Palestinian witnesses said troops fired without provocation.

The army is investigating the shooting and Israel has rejected demands by the Palestinians for a joint inquiry.

The three soldiers who opened fire were initially arrested for questioning, but were released on Wednesday evening.

Despite the unrest, hundreds of Jewish settlers marked the Jewish holiday of Purim parading from the Beit Hadassah enclave in Hebron towards the site of clashes.

Israel's army commander in the West Bank, Brigadier-General, Yitzhak Eitan, had previously asked both settlers and Israeli soldiers to act with restraint in order to reduce the tensions in the city.

About 450 Jews live guarded by hundreds of Israeli soldiers in the town, home of 130-thousand Palestinians.

Stone-throwing clashes also erupted in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

In Gaza city, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano.

At a joint news conference, Arafat said he hoped the latest events in Hebron would not damage the peace process.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Still we did not receive the investigation, they had promised us and we are waiting for it.

Q: And do you think it will affect the peace process?

A: We hope not because we are committed to the peace process and despite of all what we are facing and we will continue throughout the peace process."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Leader

Turning to another troubled region, Nano called on Albanians to also look towards peace in Kosovo.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I invite, also the Albanians in Kosovo to keep mature as they have kept. To never forget the blood that was shed, but to try to convert in new energies for building peace."

SUPER CAPTION: Fatos Nano, Albanian Prime Minister

There were also protests in the village of Dura, near Hebron, in the West Bank towns of Beit El and in the Shuafat refugee camp north of Jerusalem.

Hebron & Bethlehem, West Bank; Gaza - 12 March 1998

Hebron

1. Various of Palestinians clashing with Palestinian police

2. Injured man put in ambulance

3. Ambulance drives off

4. Palestinians throwing stones

5. Policeman holding his arm

6. Jewish Purim march

7. Wide shot march

Bethlehem

8. Palestinians throwing rocks

9. Palestinians running and throwing rocks

10. Israeli soldiers firing

11. Man throwing smoke bomb

12. Soldiers firing

Gaza

13. Arafat waits for the arrival of Nano

14. Arafat greets Nano

15. Arafat and Nano shake hands in meeting

16. Arafat and Nano walk towards podium at press conference

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

18. Cutaway press conference

19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Fatos Nano, Albanian Prime Minister

20. Nano leaves

English/Nat

Palestinians in the West Bank village of Dura on Wednesday buried three construction workers shot dead by Israeli soldiers the previous day.

The killings triggered the worst day of violence in the West Bank in months.

At least 32 Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets in stone throwing clashes with Israeli soldiers in a number of West bank towns and villages.

Fiery calls for vengeance and tears of private sorrow in the West Bank village of Dura as three construction workers shot dead by Israeli soldiers on Tuesday are buried.

More than 10-thousand people joined a funeral procession that snaked through the narrow hilly streets to the sound of Koranic verses.

Among the mourners were old men leaning on canes and young masked activists who shouted "Netanyahu is bad, and we'll kill him".

The bodies of the three labourers were driven to a small cemetery in white vans decorated with wreaths of flowers.

Palestinian policemen ran alongside the procession to keep order.

Tuesday's shooting occurred at an army roadblock near the village of Tarkoumiah, west of Hebron, when a van carrying Palestinian workers returning from jobs in Israel tried to bypass a line of cars waiting at the roadblock.

The army said soldiers opened fire after the van struck and injured one of the soldiers.

A Palestinian passenger said troops began shooting after the van sped up to prevent

another car from cutting in front of the vehicle.

The killings triggered the worst day of violence in the West Bank in months, with at least 32 Palestinians injured by rubber bullets in stone throwing clashes with Israeli soldiers.

Some of the fiercest clashes took place in Ramallah.

Here, hundreds of students from Bir Zeit University clashed with Israeli soldiers who

shot and wounded at least seven protesters.

The killings came amid growing Palestinian frustration over the stalled peace talks with

Israel and there is concern that the incident could trigger widespread violence.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denounced the killings of the labourers as a "big crime".

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It is a big crime against our workers and our labourers who were returning from their work to their homes."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

The Islamic militant movement Hamas said Israel was bearing the responsibility for the latest violent developments in the region.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"All the Israeli events between the Palestinians and the Israelis stopping areas were intended and planned by the Israeli governments. So we are considering that the Israeli authority, the Israeli government are responsible of the killings."

SUPER CAPTION: Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

Israel on Tuesday expressed its condolences for the incident.

A day later, Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai reiterated that the Jewish state was sorry and added the Israeli army was investigating the incident.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We are very sorry about those people who were killed yesterday. We are investigating what happened there. I am going to be there, in the area this afternoon to find out what happened there. I think what it needs is to ask everybody here in this area and in other places to keep order and law and not to change the direction that all of us would like to mobilise the area to the peace-time."

SUPER CAPTION: Yitzhak Mordechai, Israel Defence Minister

Before Wednesday's funeral, Palestinians clashed briefly with Israeli soldiers outside Dura.

Hospital officials in Hebron said 25 Palestinians were injured in Hebron and Dura.

Two of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.

An Israeli border policeman was slightly injured in the stone throwing.

Dura Village, Ramallah & Hebron, West Bank; Gaza city, Gaza strip; Jerusalem

Dura Village

1. Funeral procession entering cemetery

2. Body carried out of van

3. Body being carried

4. Wide shot thousands of people in the cemetery

5. People carrying coffins covered with flowers and Palestinian flags

6. Wide shot mourners

7. Close up mourners

Ramallah

8. Palestinians throwing stones toward Israeli soldiers

9. Medium shot Palestinians throwing stones

10. Israeli soldiers firing tear gas and rubber bullets towards Palestinians

11. Various of with Palestinians and Israeli soldiers

12. Student demonstration

13. Wide shot students demonstrating

Gaza Strip

14. Arafat arriving by car at his office

15. SOUNDBITE (English) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian president

16. Set up of Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mahmud al-Zahar, Hamas movement spokesman in Gaza

Jerusalem

18. Meeting between Mordechai and Indian Chief of Staff

19. Cutaway camera

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yitzhak Mordechai, Israel Defence Minister

Hebron, West Bank

21. Large group of Israeli soldiers chasing Palestinians.

22. Soldier tries to kick out fire on ground

23. Large crowd of Palestinians - some throwing stones

Natural Sound

Hundreds of Hamas supporters have staged protest marches in the West Bank and Gaza following the deaths of two members of their group.

The men were slain by Israeli troops on Thursday and now Hamas is vowing revenge.

The latest crisis comes as U-S envoy Dennis Ross shuttles between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in hopes of concluding a deal on a West Bank troop withdrawal.

It was the killing of Imad and Adel Awadallah who were shot to death in a raid on their hideout by Israeli troops that sparked these latest clashes.

In the men's home town of El Bireh (near Ramallah), some 300 people marched from the Awadallah's family home to the nearby Jewish settlement of Psagot, shouting "revenge, revenge."

Several dozen marchers broke away and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli troops who fired several rounds of rubber bullets.

A protest march was also held in Gaza where hundreds of Hamas supporters gathered along with Hamas founder and spiritual leader Ahmed Yassi.

He and other Hamas leaders are warning that the group will retaliate, possibly with suicide bombings, as it did when its chief bomb maker was assassinated in January 1996.

The Israeli army has now sealed the West Bank and Gaza Strip to prevent retaliation attacks.

Meanwhile, the man in charge of the raid on the two Hamas figures says he was tipped off as to the whereabouts of the men's hiding place.

He says after the raid they found a cache of ammunition.

The army commander says the Awadallah brothers were apparently planning to kidnap Israelis or carry out a drive-by shooting.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"It had happened three days ago, after hearing shots and explosions in this area we sent troops who encountered two terrorists and after a short battle killed them. We found after the battle a lot of weapons and ammunition and hand grenades in this area."

SUPER CAPTION: Col. Yitzhak Eitan, West Bank Army Commander

The new tensions came as U-S Mideast envoy Dennis Ross shuttled between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in hopes of concluding a deal on a West Bank troop withdrawal.

On the third day of his mission, Ross met Palestinian security chiefs to discuss the possible release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Later on Friday, Ross held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite the rising tensions, Ross pressed on with efforts to narrow the gaps between Israel and the Palestinians.

He met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai.

El Bireh, Gaza, Jerusalem, 10 and 11 September 1998

El Bireh, near Ramallah

(11 September 1998)

1. Wide shot of youths gathering on street

2. Youth hit by gunfire

3. Mid shot of soldier firing gun

4. Youths throwing rocks

5. Various of youths carrying injured man and ducking for cover

6. Soldier running with bleeding mouth

Gaza

7. Wide shot of march

8. Cutaway of masked man

9. Wide shot of marchers

10. Yassin in car

11. Various of women marching

Hebron, West Bank

(10 September 1998)

12. Pan from city at night to cordoned off house where two brothers were killed

13. Close-up of two bodies in bags

14. Soldiers putting body into back of ambulance

15. Various shots of weapons found in house

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Col. Yitzhak Eitan, West Bank Army Commander

Jerusalem

17. Exterior of government building

18. Motorcade pulls up, Dennis Ross goes into building

19. Various of Ross meeting with Netanyahu

20. Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai entering building

English/Nat

An Israeli soldier is reported to have died after being stabbed at an army liaison office in the West Bank.

The knifeman was captured immediately after the attack, just outside the town of Jenin.

He is said to be affiliated to the Islamic militant group Hamas, which opposes the Israel-Palestinian peace process.

The Israeli-P-L-O liaison building was established on the edge of Jenin at the end of last year when Palestinians gained self-rule of areas within the West Bank.

Security has been stepped up at the building after a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier on Tuesday, critically wounding him.

The assailant, apparently a resident of the West Bank town of Jenin, was captured by Israeli soldiers at the headquarters.

It was not immediately clear how he entered the compound.

Israeli soldiers sealed off the area and arrested Palestinians on suspicion of connection to the stabbing.

Ran Cohen, an Israeli legislator from the left-wing Meretz party says the Palestinian Authority now has to prove it is capable of protecting Israeli civilians and soldiers in areas it controls.

SOUNDBITE:

"The responsibility for this activity has to be on the shoulders of the Palestinians, as for us - our soldiers and the Palestinian policemen have to prevent this terrorist activity and stop every ...from entering the DCO place.

SUPERCAPTION: Ran Cohen, Israeli Member of Parliament

Israeli opponents of the deal with the P-L-O claim the attack shows how fragile the peace is.

SOUNDBITE:

"Oh well, the government keeps saying that these are the casualties that pave the road to peace. I'm sorry if this is peace, this is not peace. Where you have the PLO you have violence - more of the same.

SUPERCAPTION: Eliyahu Ben-Elisar, Likud member

Israel pulled out of the West Bank town of Jenin in November last year as part of the Israeli-P-L-O accord signed in September.

Some hardline Israelis have come to regret the withdrawal - and Israeli military commanders are alert to the continuing dangers for their troops in the West Bank.

Jenin - January 30th, 1996

1. WS of Palestinian-Israeli liaison office where stabbing occurred

2. CU of sign - pan to gates

3. Israeli soldiers inside compound

4. Police car parked

5. Detained Palestinians with Israeli soldier overlooking

6. Israeli soldiers

7. Gates closing - focus on soldier inside

8. Detained Palestinians and close up of Israeli soldier's gun

9. Army jeep on road

10. Israeli soldiers searching Palestinians

11. Helicopter leaving

12. Army commanders in Foreign and defense affairs committee

13. GV of Foreign affairs and defence committee

14. Close up of Amnon Shahak, Israel' chief of Staff

15. SOUNDBITE: Ran Cohen, member of Israeli parliament left-wing Meretz party

16. SOUNDBITE: Eliyahu Ben-Elisar, Likud member

17. Army commanders leaving defense and foreign committee

English/Nat

Israeli troops have killed two alleged Muslim militants in a shoot out Friday in the West Bank town of Hebron.

The dawn raid was part of Israel's battle against Hamas, the group blamed for two recent bus bombs attacks which killed 12 people.

In a dawn raid, dozens of Israeli troops ringed the Hamas hideout in Hebron.

According to the Israelis, the two Hamas members were killed in a shootout with the soldiers, after refusing to surrender. .

The West Bank's Israeli army commander says the gunmen were on their way to murder Jews in Hebron.

Hamas has threatened more attacks to try to derail the Israel-PLO talks on extending Palestinian self-rule to the West Bank.

Gruesome evidence of the shootout had not been cleared away before reporters arrived.

Blood and brain fragments were smeared and scattered on the porch, windows and doors riddled with bullets.

Later an army bulldozer demolished the hideout.

Inside troops found several weapons, including a Kalashnikov and an M-16 assault rifle, a pistol and a hand grenade.

The dead were identified as 25 year old Ibrahim Qawasmeh and Nader Shihadeh who was 21.

According to Major General Ilan Baran both had been imprisoned by Israel before and were on the army's wanted list.

SOUNDBITE:(English)

What happened is defined as an operation basically based on good intelligence and during the operation both sides opened fire and we killed the team and that is what you have seen

SUPER CAPTION: Major General Ilan Baran, West Bank Army Commander.

The raid came only days after Israel's Shin Bet security service uncovered a ring of Hamas suicide bombers suspected of planning the two recent bomb attacks.

25th August, Hebron, West Bank.

1. WS of the Hamas house

2. GV soldiers around the house

3. Soldiers on nearby roof

4. Soldiers walking

5. GV army jeeps around the house

6. GV bulldozer approaching the house

7. CU of house

8. Various blood on the entrance stairs

9. GV interior of house

10. GV debris on the ground + blood

11. SOUNDBITE: Major General Ilan Biran

12. GV bulldozer demolishing the house

13. LS Hebron/ road sign

Hebrew/Nat

On the eve of the Arab leaders' summit in Cairo there have been renewed clashes on the West Bank between Palestinian youths and the Israeli army.

The issue of the Hebron redeployment is one of the most pressing on the Israel- Palestinian agenda.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Friday with top military officials to decide whether Israel will carry out its much-delayed pullout from the West Bank town.

Palestinian youths in Hebron pelted Israeli army vehicles with rocks on the eve of the summit between Arab leaders in Cairo.

No one was hurt, but troops arrested two Palestinians and forced shopkeepers to shut down.

Hebron is the last West Bank town under Israeli control.

The issue of the Hebron redeployment is one of the most pressing on the Israel- Palestinian agenda.

Palestinians have warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that delaying withdrawal from the city could lead to violence.

The Israel-PLO autonomy accord stipulates that Palestinians take control of security, except for areas where Jewish settlers live.

Media reports have said that Netanyahu plans to pull out some Israeli troops while retaining overall control of security in the tense West Bank city.

Arab leaders meet in Cairo this weekend to formulate a response to the hard-line policies of the new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu meets Friday with his top military officials to decide what action to take in the West Bank.

In an apparent message to Arab leaders, Netanyahu said Israel is committed to reaching peace along with security for its citizens.

SOUNDBITE: Hebrew

"This government is committed to continue striving for peace with security. Our position is that governments should keep commitments. We expect a similar commitment from others."

SUPER CAPTION: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The new Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy met in Jerusalem with the Egyptian ambassador Mohammed Basyouni.

He told Basyouni pressure from Arab countries on Israel will not help in moving forward the peace process.

He told Basyouni there is no need for pressure, because Israel wishes for peace.

Hebron West Bank June 21, 1996, Jerusalem June 20-21 1996

1. Israeli army jeep stoned by Palestinians/ jeep trying to avoid the stones (Hebron)

2. Various Israeli soldiers running to catch the youths (Hebron)

3. Soldiers dragging man out of store (Hebron)

4. Walking him down the street (Hebron)

5. Jeeps and soldiers patrolling town (Hebron)

6. Soldiers searching for others (Hebron)

7. Another arrest (Hebron)

8. Soldiers talking with Palestinians (Hebron)

9. Netanyahu, Israeli PM addressing a gathering of world Jewish leaders

10. SOUNDBITE: Netanyahu

11. cut shot cameraman

12. sign of Foreign ministry

13. Israeli Foreign Minister David Levi meeting with Egyptian (June 21) ambassador Mohammed Basyouni

14. Shaking hands

Natural Sound

Just days before the Palestinian elections, two Israeli soldiers have been shot dead on the West Bank.

The soldiers were killed in a drive-by shooting at an intersection north of Hebron.

The killings are the first in four months of relative peace.

The shootings of an Israeli army officer and sergeant took place at a junction near the Palestinian village Halhoul, on the main road from Jerusalem to Hebron.

The Hebron region, including Halhoul, is the only major Palestinian-populated area of the West Bank still under Israeli control, contributing to high tensions there.

A white car at the scene was riddled with bullets, its windows shattered.

The army closed roads in the area, which is between Bethlehem and Hebron, and launched a large-scale search.

Major General Ilan Biran and Major General Gabi Ofir, the highest-ranking army commanders in the region, were at the scene.

Israeli troops are scheduled to pull out of Hebron in March.

Authorities have feared that Palestinian or Jewish extremists would try to disrupt Saturday's elections for a first elected Palestinian legislature.

Tensions have been especially high since Yehiya Ayyash, a top bomb maker for the Islamic militant group Hamas, was killed January 5th. Israel was widely believed to be behind the killing.

No Israelis have been killed however in politically motivated attacks for more than four months.

Relations between Israelis and Palestinians in the Hebron area are extremely tense.

Hebron is the only major Palestinian town that Israeli troops have not yet withdrawn from.

16 January 1996, Halhoul, near Hebron, West Bank

1. Site of shootings (9 shots)

2. Israeli army checkpoint on the way to Hebron (6 shots)

3. Israeli settlers bus stopped at roadblock (2 shots)

4. Israeli soldiers checking Palestinian cars with electric torch (2 shots)

5. Israeli Military commander in West Bank arrives in big white truck

6. Ambulance

7. Various military checkpoint (3 shots)

Natural Sound

It has been a tense day across Israel with raids and demonstrations as a Saturday deadline approaches for an Israel-PLO agreement on a West Bank troop pullback and Palestinian elections.

In Ramallah there were clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian residents and in Hebron, a leading Hamas militant was shot dead in a clash with Israeli troops.

And protests continued in the Gaza strip - part of a campaign to free Palestinians from Israeli jails.

These women have been demonstrating their anger for days.

Clashes broke out in Ramallah today (Thursday) and three protestors were arrested. This West Bank town has been particularly volatile during the past week with clashes occurring on an almost daily basis.

In Hebron, the commander of an armed squad of the Muslim militant group Hamas was killed in a dawn raid. Scores of Israeli troops ringed his suspected hideout. Taher Kafisheh, 24, opened fire from inside a house, then ran outside while shooting, seriously wounding an Israeli officer, according to an Israeli army commander.

Israeli troops opened fire, killing Kafisheh.

Troops using loudspeakers ordered the residents of the two homes and two adjacent buildings to come outside, one by one. The men were ordered to lie on the ground and were then taken away for questioning, according to witnesses.

Army bulldozers then demolished the two homes where Kafisheh had been residing.

The army imposed a curfew on Hebron, barring its 80-thousand Palestinian residents from leaving their homes.

Hamas- the leading opponent to reconciliation with Israel- has carried out a series of deadly bombing and shooting attacks on Israelis in hopes of derailing future pacts.

But there's been a lull in the violence in recent months. Hamas is thought to have promised P-L-O chief Yasser Arafat that they'd refrain from attacks for the time being.

Kafisheh's group is suspected of having killed six Jewish settlers in shooting ambushes in the Hebron area.

And these protests in Erez Junction, Gaza Strip typify the anger over the continued detention of Palestinians. The protests are part of a campaign to free Palestinians from Israeli jails.

Israel released some 5-thousand prisoners after its autonomy accord with the P-L-O, but more than 3-thousand Palestinians have been arrested since last October, most of them Muslim militants.

This demonstration was part of a national campaign called by PLO leaders who are demanding the release of all remaining Palestinian political prisoners by July first.

29/6/95 at locations specified

Ramallah, West Bank

1. Israeli soldiers in the streets

2. Burning tires in the streets

3. Residents throwing stones at soldiers

4. Soldiers arresting man/dragging him into jeep

5. Women screaming at soldiers

6. Woman resisting soldiers

7. Scuffles/pushing/shoving

8. More soldiers in streets

9. Smoke in streets

10. Soldiers dragging demonstrators

11. Woman fainting/screaming

Hebron, West Bank

12. Wide-shot of the house to be demolished.

13. Soldiers standing on roof

14. IDF bulldozers moving along field

15. IDF bulldozer destroying tree

16. Bulldozer destroying house

17. IDF soldiers looking at weapons found in house

Erez junction, Gaza Strip

18. Large crowd of women demonstrators

19. Women holding photographs of imprisoned family

20. Women shouting/holding banners

21. Calling for release of prisoners

22. Palestinian police in the area

W058303

Lebanon - Attacks Continue

WTN

Qlayleh Village - 24 April 1996

Israel kept up a relentless bombardment of south Lebanon, hitting roads to isolate Hezbollah guerrillas but also endangering UN relief convoys.

WS UN troops running

MS UN troops carrying injured

WS explosion

WS destroyed house

WS man walks across mound of rubble

W059700

Israel - Peres & Netanyahu Vote In Cliffhanger Poll

WTN

West Bank and Israel - 29 May 19996

Israelis went to the polls amid unprecedented security to choose a new prime minister and parliament in elections seen as a turning point for the Middle East peace process. Prime Minister Shimon Peres was among the early voters. He said he didn't see the election as a personal competition, or a confrontation between the parties, but instead a choice of future for the nation. Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, 46-year-old head of the nationalist Likud Party, voted with his wife Sarah in Jerusalem's Beit Hinour school. He and Peres were neck and neck going into the election. It's the first time Israelis have had the chance to directly elect their Prime Minister and more than 70% of Israel's 3.9 million voters turned out to do so.

Jerusalem

Army patrol in street

Soldier checks identity of resident;

Tel Aviv

Peres drops vote in ballot box;

Jerusalem

Netanyahu voting

W059701

Israel - Netanyahu Has Vowed To Halt Handover

WTN

Israel - 30 May 1996 and file

Binyamin Netanyahu, at 46, is easily the youngest leader Israel has had -- indeed, he is the first who is younger than the Jewish nation itself. As thousands of celebrating supporters of his right wing Likud party surrounded its headquarters to anticipate and savour their victory with singing and dancing in the streets, Netanyahu himself was holding back from triumph until victory was statistically assured. The Central Election Commission said he was headed for about 50.3 percent of the vote, ousting Shimon Peres from the Premiership.

Tel Aviv - 30 May 1996

People cheering and dancing on the streets outside party headquarters

Israeli, with dog applauding

Jerusalem - 26 March 1996

Campaign poster of Netanyahu

Netanyahu emerging with wife Sarah, having voted in Likud primaries.

34788

West Bank- Palestinians and Israeli Soldiers Engage in Gun Battle

APTV

Ramallah - 25 September 1996

Palestinians and Israeli soldiers engaged in gun battles near Ramallah as riots erupted in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Three Palestinians, including two policemen, were killed and at least 180 people were injured in the worst violence since the 1987-93 revolt against Israeli occupation. The violence was sparked by Israel's completion of an archaeological tunnel near Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound, one of the holiest sites of Islam. The firefight broke out near an Israeli army checkpoint south of Ramallah. Israeli troops had tried for hours to break up a protest by more than a thousand Palestinian stone throwers. The Palestinians were demonstrating against the opening of a tourist tunnel in Jerusalem. It runs along Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound - the third holiest site of Islam - and Palestinians claim the tunnel undermines their rights to the Muslim shrines.

Various: shoot out

Injured man carried, people come to help, then get shots fired

Day: various soldiers clashing with stone-throwing Palestinians

34836

West Bank/Gaza Strip - Violence Increases Between Palestinians and Israelis

APTV

Ramallah, Gaza and Bethlehem - 26 September 1996

The body count is mounting as the violence between Israelis and Palestinians escalates. Israel has now brought in heavy weapons including helicopter gunships and tanks to tackle Palestinians armed with rifles and rocks in Gaza and the West Bank. At least 30 Palestinians and five Israelis were killed in clashes that within hours escalated from stone-throwing demonstrations into widespread shooting. Some 400 Palestinians and at least 19 Israelis were injured. Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire on Palestinian soldiers and civilians as riots across the West Bank and Gaza Strip turned into full-scale gun battles. At least 30 Palestinians and five Israelis were killed as the violence swept into virtually any town where Palestinians and Israelis coexist. Hundreds were wounded.

Ramallah

Israeli helicopter firing

Palestinian soldier firing

Gaza

Palestinians ducking

Ambulance

Bethlehem

Wide-shot Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli troops

Various Israeli soldiers firing at Palestinians

English/Nat

Unrest in the Civil War-torn West African state of Liberia continues to erupt.

On Thursday rebels from the United Liberation Movement for Democracy (ULIMO armed with grenades and spears took over the National Bank in protest at the dismissal of its governor.

The protest was resolved without violence, but the incident has added to a growing sense of tension in the country.

A West African peace keeping force is trying to implement a peace accord signed last August, but has been attacked by rebel forces in the diamond rich region in the north west.

The rebel convoy of ULIMO and the Liberian Peace Council leave the capital Monrovia for the frontline.

On Thursday their supporters took over the National Bank for the day after its governor was replaced.

The bodyguards of the leaders Roosevelt Johnson and George Boley mete out rough justice to a hapless motorist who happened to crash into the convoy.

The bodyguards then took the man's car as compensation for wrecking their own.

They continued on to the West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG's checkpoint at the Po River bridge.

They had to wait before permission was given, but they were soon on their way again.

Two miles beyond the bridge ECOMOG's influence ends and bandit country begins.

These are the lawless roads that British novelist Graham Greene wrote about so vividly in his book, Journey Without Maps.

Along the way the bodyguard remove the barriers as they approach the ULIMO frontline.

ULIMO has been waging a running battle against ECOMOG forces. Clashes have killed 10 peace keepers and dozens of civilians in the last week.

ULIMO and L-P-C supporters greeted their comrades from Monrovia with war dances and song.

Next stop was the town of Klay, 25 miles north west of the capital.

Just beyond was the burnt out ECOMOG convoy which rebels had destroyed in the recent fighting.

The destination was Tubmanburg, scene of clashes between ECOMOG troops and rebels.

Residents say the West African peacekeeping force shelled the town, killing many people.

SOUNDBITE:

"Q: Where there any people at the hospital?

So many people died."

SUPER CAPTION: Woman witness

SOUNDBITE:

"She got killed. She died.

Q: How old was she?

She was a young woman. About 25."

SUPER CAPTION: Male witness

Liberia's civil war began in December 1989 and formally came to end in August 1995.

An interim government was installed in September to prepare for elections this year, but the violence continues despite the ceasefire.

Tubmanburg, Liberia, 9th January 1996

1. Convoy of bodyguards accompanying rebel leaders Roosevelt Johnson and George Boley

2. Bodyguards beat up driver who crashed into their car

3. Convoy continues

4. Po River bridge checkpoint

5. Johnson in blue suit talks with ECOMOG soldier

6. Waiting by Po River bridge

7. LPC minister, LPC leader George Foley and Johnson

8. Armoured ECOMOG vehicle near frontline

9. Bodyguard removing blockades

10. Various ULIMO frontline fighters greeting colleagues from Monrovia.

11. Wrecked ECOMOG convoy, destroyed by ULIMO about 1 week before.

12. Klay and arrival of convoy.

13. More celebration.

14. Tubmanburg and destruction.

15. SOUNDBITE: Woman

16. SOUNDBITE: Man

17. Various of Tubmanburg

Hebrew/Eng/Nat

Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank town of Hebron for the third day running Sunday.

Hundreds of Palestinians threw stones at Israeli soldiers who did not fire back.

As tensions worsened between the two sides, two Palestinians were wounded earlier in the day as they tried to cross into Israel.

In an effort to restore calm after the most serious flare-up in months, Israel's security minister met his Palestinian counterpart for talks in Jerusalem.

After an overnight lull Palestinian youths poured back onto the streets of Hebron Sunday continuing the violent confrontation with Israeli troops.

Palestinian police attempted to restrain the rioters but they were heavily outnumbered.

Israeli soldiers stayed behind the town's Jewish-Palestinian dividing line where they came under a hail of missiles.

But after a hundred Palestinian casualties in yesterday's clashes the troops did not fire back.

The explosion of violence has created a crisis which is threatening to destroy the fragile peace process.

The commander of the Israel Defence Force in the West Bank, Major Gaby Ofir, told reporters if the clashes continued the army would be forced to take a harder line.

SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew)

"If the violence will stop in Hebron, it would be better to normalise relations between H1 and H2, but if not, then like we said, if Hebron continues to be violent then we can also stand fast. We have forces to give us breathing room."

SUPER CAPTION: Major Gaby Ofir, Commander of I-D-F (Israel Defence Force) in West Bank

On a heightened state of alert following Friday's suicide attack in Tel Aviv, Israeli troops opened fire on a Palestinian at a roadblock between Jerusalem and Bethlehem early Sunday.

Two Palestinians were wounded and taken to the hospital.

The army also placed a curfew on the West Bank village of Zurif, where suicide bomber Moussa Abu Deiyah Ghneimat lived.

Israeli troops sealed Ghneimat's home and barred reporters from the area.

The army ordered the house demolished, but Israel radio said the family appealed the order to Israel's Supreme Court.

In the run-up to the violence, tensions between Israel and the Palestinians were already high following Israel's decision to build a new Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem.

On Sunday morning Palestinian Preventative Security Chief, Jibril Rajoub, met with Israel's Internal Security Minister and Chief of Police to discuss the deteriorating situation.

And in a sign of worsening relations, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that the government was considering breaking off talks with the Palestinians in the wake of a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed three Israelis.

Israel's cabinet is due to meet later to decide how to respond to the attack.

In Jerusalem meanwhile Israeli Security Minister Avigdor Kahalani met with Jibril Rajoub, the Palestinian Preventive Security chief, to discuss the recent violence in the area and security arrangements.

Rajoub said that the Palestinian police will do everything in its power to exert control in the West Bank.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Listen, the Palestinian Authority will take all the necessary steps and measures in order to enable the leaders of both peoples to continue the peace process, to continue the peace process, in order to reach a solution for all our problems and to achieve coexistence and peace between the peoples is the only way and is the only options which we have."

SUPER CAPTION: Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian Preventative Security Chief

Israel's Internal Security minister indicated that communication will stay open between the two sides to try to resolve their differences.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I think it was a very good meeting and this is for me the first time to see him face-to- face and I hope this meeting will create maybe a new line between him and us and we can discuss about the problem and try to solve the problem for both sides, for the Palestinians and for the Israelis."

SUPER CAPTION: Avigdor Kahalani, Israeli Internal Security Minister

An announcement by Israel that it was stopping talks would make it more difficult to bring two sides back to negotiating table.

Before the breakdown, talks had been underway on unresolved issues from the peace agreements signed by Israel's previous governments - such as prisoner releases and travel between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - and Israel's promised troop withdrawals from rural areas of the West Bank.

Talks on a final peace settlement - including issues such as the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian statehood - were supposed to start March 17 but the deadline was overtaken by events.

Hebron, Bethlehem, & Zurif, West Bank; Jerusalem, Israel, 23 March, 1997

Hebron:

1. Palestinian rioters forced back by police

2. Various shots of stonethrowers

3. Israeli soldier in look-out post down alley

4. Palestinian police link hands to stop stonethrowers

5. Police force stonethrowers back

Bethlehem:

6. Set-up Major Gaby Ofir

7. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Major Gaby Ofir, Commander of I-D-F (Israel Defence Force) in West Bank

Checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem:

8. Various shots of forensic experts examining car

Zurif:

9. Various long shots of Zurif village

10. Various shots of soldiers at roadblock

11. Still picture of bomber, Moussa Abu Deiyah Ghneimat

Jerusalem:

12. Exterior government building

13. Kahalani and Jibril Rajoub together

14. Cutaway press

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian Preventative Security Chief

16. Cutaway cameraman

17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Avigdor Kahalani, Israeli Internal Security Minister

18. Rajoub and Kahalani shake hands

Natural Sound

At least six Palestinians were killed on Thursday and more than 150 injured in confrontations with Israeli soldiers, making it the worst day of violence in recent months.

The clashes came as thousands of Palestinians marched in remembrance of their uprooting after Israel's creation 50 years ago.

In Khan Yunis on the Gaza Strip, Palestinians hurled stones at Israeli soldiers as violence broke out all over the region.

Palestinian riot police intervened to halt attacks on Israelis, clubbing demonstrators and forming cordons to try to keep them back.

However, police were outnumbered, and their positions were overrun.

In Gaza City, the injured and dead were ferried to the overrun hospital in ambulances and on the back of trucks.

Relatives cried over the bodies of their lost ones.

The dead included a 20-year-old protester shot when hundreds of Palestinian stone-throwers converged on a small Israeli army outpost near Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

There has been no confirmation of the death toll so far, but Palestinian police put the death toll between six and eight - although Israeli officials say four people were killed.

Violence also erupted in the West Bank, with a dozen Palestinians injured by rubber-coated steel pellets and two Israeli motorists hurt by stones.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers in the city centre.

The protesters burned an Israeli flag as they pelted Israeli soldiers with stones.

The security forces responded by firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, dozens of Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers who fired tear gas.

In Nablus, hundreds of protesters chanted anti-Israeli slogans as an effigy of Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu covered in the Israeli flag was beaten and burnt.

The violence was the worst since September 1996 when riots swept the West Bank and Gaza Strip over Israel's opening of an archaeological tunnel along Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.

Palestinians and Israelis were quick to trade blame on Thursday.

Palestinians said Israeli troops fired indiscriminately on unarmed protesters.

Israeli army commanders said soldiers opened fire after being attacked by firebombs and, in one case, being shot at.

Later in the day hundreds of Palestinians attended the funeral of 32-years old Samir Sayyad who was shot to death during the clashes erupted Thursday in Gaza Strip.

The latest violence erupted in the region as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians marched in remembrance of their uprooting after Israel's creation 50 years ago.

The demonstrations were organised by Yasser Arafat's self-rule government and underlined the strength of his leadership - sending a message to Israel and the United States that there was growing frustration over the deadlock in Mideast peace talks.

In a speech broadcast on national television, the Palestinian Authority president promised that the Palestinians would eventually establish their own state.

Amid the turmoil, U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright launched what may be a final effort by Washington to break the 14-month deadlock in Mideast peace talks.

In light of the past few days of violence she has a near to impossible task ahead of her.

Khan Yunis, Gaza; Gaza City; Hebron, West Bank; Bethlehem; Nablus - May 14, 1998

Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip

1. Palestinians protesters throwing stones

2. Various Israeli security forces with tanks and armoured cars

3. Various stone throwing

4. Palestinian running towards Israeli soldier

5. Various of Israeli soldiers arresting protestors

Gaza City, Gaza Strip:

6. Ambulance arrives at Shifa Hospital

8. Injured man being carried off ambulance

9. Various of two dead bodies at hospital being unwrapped

10. Various relatives crying over dead body

Hebron, West Bank:

10. Various of Palestinian protesters throwing stones

11. Injured man being helped away

12. Body being wheeled on stretcher

13. Various injured in hospital

Ramallah, West Bank:

14. Palestinian burning tyres

15. Palestinians throwing stones

16. Armoured vehicle drives past

17. Palestinians lifting injured man onto stretcher

Bethlehem, West Bank:

18. Israeli soldier firing gun

19. Various Palestinian protesters throwing stones

Nablus:

20. Protesters carrying model of mosque

21. Effigy of Netanyahu

22. Palestinians beating effigy

23. Burning effigy with Israeli flag

Khan Yunis, Gaza strip.

24. Funeral of Palestinian killed in clashes

25. Various close ups of men mourning

26. Various of women relatives mourning, wailing

Natural Sound

At least six Palestinians were killed on Thursday and more than 150 injured in confrontations with Israeli soldiers, making it the worst day of violence in recent months.

The clashes came as thousands of Palestinians marched in remembrance of their uprooting after Israel's creation 50 years ago.

In Khan Yunis on the Gaza Strip, Palestinians hurled stones at Israeli soldiers as violence broke out all over the region.

Palestinian riot police intervened to halt attacks on Israelis, clubbing demonstrators and forming cordons to try to keep them back.

However, police were outnumbered, and their positions were overrun.

In Gaza City, the injured and dead were ferried to the overrun hospital in ambulances and on the back of trucks.

Relatives cried over the bodies of their lost ones.

The dead included a 20-year-old protester shot when hundreds of Palestinian stone-throwers converged on a small Israeli army outpost near Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

There has been no confirmation of the death toll so far, but Palestinian police put the death toll between six and eight - although Israeli officials say four people were killed.

Violence also erupted in the West Bank, with a dozen Palestinians injured by rubber-coated steel pellets and two Israeli motorists hurt by stones.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers in the city centre.

The protesters burned an Israeli flag as they pelted Israeli soldiers with stones.

The security forces responded by firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, dozens of Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers who fired tear gas.

In Nablus, hundreds of protesters chanted anti-Israeli slogans as an effigy of Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu covered in the Israeli flag was beaten and burnt.

The violence was the worst since September 1996 when riots swept the West Bank and Gaza Strip over Israel's opening of an archaeological tunnel along Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.

Palestinians and Israelis were quick to trade blame on Thursday.

Palestinians said Israeli troops fired indiscriminately on unarmed protesters.

Israeli army commanders said soldiers opened fire after being attacked by firebombs and, in one case, being shot at.

The latest violence erupted in the region as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians marched in remembrance of their uprooting after Israel's creation 50 years ago.

The demonstrations were organised by Yasser Arafat's self-rule government and underlined the strength of his leadership - sending a message to Israel and the United States that there was growing frustration over the deadlock in Mideast peace talks.

In a speech broadcast on national television, the Palestinian Authority president promised that the Palestinians would eventually establish their own state.

Amid the turmoil, U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright launched what may be a final effort by Washington to break the 14-month deadlock in Mideast peace talks.

In light of the past few days of violence she has a near to impossible task ahead of her.

Khan Yunis, Gaza; Gaza City; Hebron, West Bank; Bethlehem; Nablus - May 14, 1998

Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip

1. Palestinians protesters throwing stones

2. Various Israeli security forces with tanks and armoured cars

3. Various stone throwing

4. Palestinian running towards Israeli soldier

5. Various of Israeli soldiers arresting protestors

Gaza City, Gaza Strip:

6. Ambulance arrives at Shifa Hospital

8. Injured man being carried off ambulance

9. Various of two dead bodies at hospital being unwrapped

10. Various relatives crying over dead body

Hebron, West Bank:

10. Various of Palestinian protesters throwing stones

11. Injured man being helped away

12. Body being wheeled on stretcher

13. Various injured in hospital

Ramallah, West Bank:

14. Palestinian burning tyres

15. Palestinians throwing stones

16. Armoured vehicle drives past

17. Palestinians lifting injured man onto stretcher

Bethlehem, West Bank:

18. Israeli soldier firing gun

19. Various Palestinian protesters throwing stones

Nablus:

20. Protesters carrying model of mosque

21. Effigy of Netanyahu

22. Palestinians beating effigy

23. Burning effigy with Israeli flag

English/Nat

Israel on Monday began sealing and demolishing the homes of four Islamic militants who blew themselves up in two suicide bombings in Jerusalem this year.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said the demolitions in the West Bank town of Assira were a new violation of the peace accords with Israel.

The move signalled rising tension in the region, as Hamas members burned an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a student rally in Gaza City.

Israeli troops clamped a curfew on Assira, near the Palestinian-run West Bank town of Nablus, as two homes were being partially bricked up and two others levelled by bulldozers on Monday.

An Israeli army commander said several village residents threw firebombs to try to stop the demolitions.

Several television crews were ordered by troops to remain in a house in the village and were prevented from filming, with 10 soldiers posted on the roof and two army jeeps parked outside.

In demolishing homes of suspected Palestinian militants, Israeli troops routinely impose curfews in order to prevent possible stone throwing riots.

Last week, Israel's Supreme Court rejected appeals by the assailants' relatives, who argued that they had no role in planning

the attacks and had not been in touch with the bombers for a year.

The homes belong to four of five members of the Islamic militant

group Hamas who were involved in the July 30 and September 4 suicide bombings that killed 21 Israelis.

Two of the homes were to be demolished completely, and two others, with tenants living there not related to the bombers, were to be partially bricked up.

Israel has routinely demolished the homes of Palestinians involved in fatal attacks on Israelis - a practice denounced by human rights groups as collective punishment.

But an Israeli army soldier said the demolitions were justified.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Starting from the morning, we started to take sanctions against the four houses of the Palestinian bombers, terrorists, that bombed themselves to death in Jerusalem a couple of months ago. Just to remind you, these terrorists killed 21 people and 356 more people were injured, some of them pretty badly."

SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Yariv, Israeli army

In Gaza City, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said the demolitions in the West Bank town of Assira were a new violation of the peace accords with Israel.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"First of all, this is a new violation of what has been agreed upon and what has been signed because Assira is in area B, and they have in area B only overriding security, not more than that."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader

The move signalled rising tension in the region, as Hamas members burned an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a student rally in Gaza City on Monday.

The rally at the Islamic University began as part of a student election campaign, but soon turned political.

Hundreds of students waved green Hamas flags and shouted Allahu Akbar, or God is great.

The rally came after Netanyahu's cabinet put off a decision on Sunday on how much land Israel needs to retain in the West Bank.

A military-prepared proposal claimed about half the territory for security reasons.

With Israel insisting on time to work out its ultimate demands, it seems unlikely Netanyahu will be able to present U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright with a detailed proposal for an interim troop pullback this week.

Seeking to break an impasse in the middle east peace process, Albright said on Monday she would convey "a sense of urgency" during her meeting with Netanyahu in Paris on Thursday.

Assira, West Bank; Gaza City, Gaza Strip - 15 December 1997

Assira, West Bank

1. Wide shot bulldozer demolishing homes

2. Wide shot demolition

3. Mid shot demolition of homes, pull out

4. House wall being demolished

5. Various concrete being put into barrels to seal homes

6. Wide shot house door being welded shut, zoom in

7. Close-up door being welded shut

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Yariv, Israeli army

Gaza City

9. Close-up Palestinian flag

10. Arafat walking out of office

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader

12. Wide shot pan of students waving green Hamas flags at rally

13. Netanyahu effigy being hung

14. Masked Hamas supporters stabbing effigy of Netanyahu and pouring petrol over it

15. Close-up Netanyahu effigy

16. Masked Hamas supporters setting fire to effigy and dragging it along ground

English/Nat

Israel's defence minister says the next scheduled pullback from the West Bank will begin Monday, and will be finished within three days.

But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has criticised the pull-out plan for not going far enough.

Israel's Defence Minister briefed journalists Sunday on Israel's next pull out of troops from the West Bank.

Yitzhak Mordechai said the Israeli army was ready to pull out of nine per cent of the West Bank in as few as three days.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Well, as you know, the government made a decision last Friday. We are following the decision. We have just finished our meeting with the head of military forces, and the centre's command is ready to take power and change the redeployment in the area. We can do it in a very short time. I think in two or three days it can be complete - all the redeployment in the area."

SUPER CAPTION: Yitzhak Mordechai, Israeli Defence Minister

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat returned to Gaza on Sunday after a meeting in Amman with Jordan's King Hussein.

After stepping off his helicopter and receiving a guard of honour, Arafat slammed the Israelis for what he called "conspiracies and tricks."

On Friday, the Israeli government announced that it would pullback some troops from the West Bank.

The plan calls for troops to withdraw from 9 per cent of West Bank rural areas.

The move will put about 200-thousand Palestinians under the control of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority.

But the Palestinians had hoped for a pullout from at least 20 per cent of the areas.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"No one can deceive or betray the Palestinian people. We had agreed a just, comprehensive, lasting peaceful solution, not conspiracies and tricks."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

In Ramallah, Faisal Husseini, Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, slammed the U-S for vetoing a U-N resolution that criticised Israel's plans to build Jewish housing in Arab East Jerusalem.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I don't know now after this veto, after their insistence on doing whatever they want without taking into consideration their Palestinian partner and going ahead. I call it a war, because in war you only need one side to take decisions. In peace you have two sides to take decisions because it's a partnership. I believe that the peace process is going to ground."

SUPER CAPTION: Faisal Husseini, Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs

It seems that, once again, the future of the Mideast peace process is looking precarious and uncertain.

Gaza and Ramallah, West Bank; Israeli Defence Force Central Command, north of Jerusalem - 9 March 1997

Israeli Defence Force Central Command, Israel

1. Various Yitzhak Mordechai, Israeli Minister of Defence, outside Israeli Defence Force Central Command

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yitzhak Mordechai, Israeli Defence Minister

3. Reporters

Gaza

4. Arafat's helicopter landing

5. Car pulling up and Arafat getting out

6. Guard of honour for Arafat

7. Arafat saluting

8. Arafat marching

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

10. Arafat and party walking away

11. Arafat and party outside Shawa Centre

Ramallah

12. Faisal Husseini, Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, at press conference

13. Cutaway cameraman

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Faisal Husseini, Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs

15. Husseini at press conference

English/Nat

Israel has tightened restrictions on Palestinians entering the Jewish state after the assassination of the leader of the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.

Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank were barred from Israel, and cars with Gaza plates were turned away at the border crossing.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres defended the move, saying it was necessary to prevent a terrorist suicide attack.

Since the murder of the extremist Palestinian leader Fathi Shakaki in Malta on Saturday, the Israeli army has been on high alert.

Fearful of revenge attacks, the authorities have been taking no chances.

Israel tightened travel restrictions for Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Monday.

Soldiers stepped up checks at army roadblocks and police urged people to be on the lookout for suspicious packages.

Security was tight at entry points into the country on Monday.

Identity papers were thoroughly checked - all Palestinian men under the age of 35, students and private Palestinian cars were barred from entering Israel.

Jobs are scarce in the West Bank and Gaza, and many Palestinians commute into Israel every day to work.

Speaking in Amman, the Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres defended the move on security grounds and challenged the Palestinian Authority to tighten security in the Gaza Strip.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"The one who put the closure on Gaza Strip and West Bank are the Jihad and Hamas. Israel does not close those areas out of the whim - we have it when we have definite information that there is an attempt to send into Israel a car-bomb or a terrorist activity. We can not take it - we are entitled to have security. So that I believe the more the Palestinian Authority will be in charge of the security situation in Gaza, there won't be any need of any closure."

SUPERCAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli Foreign Minister

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it played a role in Shakaki's death.

Islamic Jihad has vowed to avenge the death of its leader by killing Israelis at home and abroad.

In the relative safety of Beirut, these Islamic Jihad members claim that they are already planning attacks to avenge the killing.

West Bank Junction outside Jerusalem and Erez Junction, 30 Oct 1995; Amman 30 Oct 1995; Beirut 29 Oct 1995.

Gilo Junction, outside Jerusalem

1. Various Israeli soldiers checking identity cards.

2. Soldier in tower.

3. Soldiers in bus checking identity papers.

Erez Junction

5. Wide shot trucks and cars waiting at check point

Amman

6. SOUNDBITE: Peres

Beirut

7. Islamic Jihad and Palestinian flags

8. Gunman dressed in black

9. Posters of Shakaki

Erez Junction

10. Soldier checking identity cards and refusing entry

11. Two Palestinian women crossing empty road.

English/Nat

Former Israeli premier Shimon Peres met Thursday with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and said Israel must keep its promises to the Palestinians.

Peres' initiative highlights the differences between him and his successor, Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, in their approach to the Israeli-PLO peace agreements.

Netanyahu has so far refused to meet Arafat but has said Israel would renew discussion with the Palestinians very soon.

The meeting between Arafat and Peres had to be rescheduled at the last minute following an Israeli Army ban on the Palestinian leader flying from Gaza to the West Bank.

After several hours' delay the two met at the Ezra checkpoint in Gaza.

Former Prime Minister Peres arrived at the Erez checkpoint for his first meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat since the new Israeli government came to power.

The two discussed the faltering Middle East peace process and the way ahead under the premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The meeting was originally to have taken place in the West Bank - however it was moved to Gaza at the last minute after the Israeli Army denied Arafat's new helicopter a flying permit - claiming it hadn't been cleared for air safety.

The ban was lifted following a flurry of protests - and a quick intervention by the Israeli government - but the meeting was delayed by several hours. Peres and Arafat finally met at the PLO headquarters in the Gaza Strip.

The former partners in the peace process were pleased with the outcome of their meeting.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Peace is not only a Palestinian need, it is a Palestinian need, Israeli need, Arab need, international need, and we have to protect it. Your ascency, many thanks for your coming and you know that I am respecting you not only as a partner, but as a friend. Thank you for your coming."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat - Palestinian leader

Peres said Israel should honour its commitments to the Palestinians and continue the peace efforts started by his predecessor Yitzhak Rabin.

SOUNDBITE: (English) "I want to thank Yasser Arafat for his very kind and friendly words. You may have heard I am no longer in the government. And I don't pretend to be in the government. Neither did I come here to attack the government. But I feel that I have two great obligations in my life. One as a former foreign minister together with the late Yitzhak Rabin, and then as a prime minister. We made an agreement with the Palestinian people and the Palestinian authority and the Palestinian race. And I feel deeply obliged that every promise we made on behalf of the government, on behalf of the Israel people should be respected."

SUPER CAPTION: Labor Party leader and former PM, Shimon Peres

In addition to today's meeting with Arafat, Peres is reportedly planning a trip to Morocco to meet with King Hassan II and a visit to King Hussein in Jordan.

The Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who narrowly defeated Peres in Israel's May 29 election, insists he is continuing the peace process. But he has so far avoided meeting Arafat, failed to move forward on Israel's five-month overdue troop pullout from the West Bank city of Hebron, and angered Palestinians by ruling out a Palestinian state in the

West Bank and Gaza Strip or negotiations over disputed Jerusalem.

Gaza-Israel border, Erez Checkpoint 22 August 1996

1. GV Erez Checkpoint

2. Arafat arriving

3.. Shimon Peres arriving

4. Arafat and Peres shaking hands

5. Arafat-Peres photo-op

6. TS Shaking hands

7. Arafat and Peres leaving meeting

8. Arafat and Peres to podium at presser

9. SOUNDBITE Arafat

10. LS presser

11. SOUNDBITE Peres

12. Arafat/Peres leaving

English/Nat

The body count is mounting as the violence between Israelis and Palestinians escalates.

Israel has now brought in heavy weapons including helicopter gunships and tanks to tackle Palestinians armed with rifles and rocks in Gaza and the West Bank.

At least 37 Palestinians and 11 Israelis were killed Thursday in clashes that within hours escalated from stone-throwing demonstrations into widespread shooting.

Some 400 Palestinians and at least 32 Israelis were injured.

Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire on Palestinian soldiers and civilians on Thursday as riots across the West Bank and Gaza Strip turned into full-scale gun battles.

At least 37 Palestinians and 11 Israelis were killed as the violence swept into virtually any town where Palestinians and Israelis coexist.

Hundreds were wounded.

The violence is the worst since the 1993 peace accord ended six years of Palestinian revolt against Israeli occupation of the territories.

Tanks rolled off army lorries as the Israelis brought in reinforcements half way through the day.

These were not the clashes of earlier revolts -- even during the intifada or Palestinian uprising.

The tenure of the violence has changed.

For the first time, since the creation of Israel, Palestinian police -- deployed in the Palestinian areas as part of the Israel-Palestinian peace accords --fired on Israeli troops. Israeli army radio described the situation as a "picture of war".

The day's worst clashes happened in Gaza.

Israeli troops opened fire when thousands of Palestinian protesters attempted to march towards two tiny Jewish settlements, Netzarim and Kfar Darom, both isolated enclaves in the heart of the Gaza Strip.

The violence escalated as Palestinian police fired back.

At a press conference after a meeting with the Army Chief of Staff, Amnon Shahak, the Israeli Defence Minister described the severity of the situation.

SOUNDBITE:

We are in emergency situation. We reinforce our troops in Gaza Strip and in Judea and Samaria. I've been talk twice today with Mr Arafat to do everything is possible to stop the firing from the Palestinian side.

SUPER CAPTION: Yitzhak Mordechai, Israeli Defence Minister

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat appeared grim faced today. He demanded that Netanyahu implement the peace agreements Israel has

already signed.

Bethlehem, too, was wracked with violence.

Israeli soldiers guarding Rachel's Tomb -- burial place of the biblical matriarch -- fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinian protesters.

This third day of Palestinian rioting was triggered by Israel's decision this week to open an archaeological tunnel near Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque compound, one of Islam's holiest sites.

But it also reflects a deeper Palestinian anger at new Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reversal of his dovish predecessors' policies.

The clashes also spread to east Jerusalem where the image of young boys hurling stones at Israeli troops was reminiscent of the intifada.

This fighting could be just the jolt that is needed to put the peace process back on track.

But it could also spell the end of the peace process.

It has raised the spectre of a return to the Palestinian uprising -- and confronted Israelis with the unsettling possibility of a hostile armed neighbour just beyond Jerusalem's borders.

As hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, filled with casualties of the fighting, the reality of the situation was only just beginning to sink in.

But as the fighting escalated, there were many who feared that the familiar funeral scenes on both sides of the divide could once again become an almost daily ritual.

The funerals were taking place throughout the day -- this one a Palestinian policeman, mourned by his colleagues.

But as the running battles continued, it appeared that Israeli tanks were pulling out of Ramallah.

Although it could not be confirmed if they were redeploying or withdrawing in an attempt to calm the situation overnight.

Ramallah, Gaza, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, 26th September 1996

Ramallah

1. Israeli helicopter firing

2. Various Israeli soldiers

3. Israeli helicopter firing

4. Wounded Israeli soldier

5. Ambulances rush past

6. Israeli helicopter

7. Ambulances

8. Various tanks being unloaded

9. Palestinian soldier firing

10. Israeli soldier taking cover

11. Palestinian soldier on roof firing

12. Wounded Palestinian being put in ambulance

Gaza

13. Various Palestinians being shot at

14. Palestinians ducking

15. Ambulance

Jerusalem

16. Army Chief of Staff, Amnon Shahak talking to journalist

17. Cut away cameras

18. SOUNDBITE: Yitzhak Mordechai, Defence Minister

Gaza.

19. Arafat arriving at Palestinian office

Bethlehem

20. Wide-shot Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli troops

21. Various Israeli soldiers firing at Palestinians

22. Palestinians turning over car

23. Various Palestinians throwing stones

24. Various of wounded Palestinians

East Jerusalem

25. Boy throwing rock

26. Various burning tyres on road

Gaza

27. Various wounded children being carried into hospital

28. Pan into operating room

29. Palestinian soldier coming in on stretcher

30. Soldier on bed

31. Child on bed

32. Various dead bodies being covered

Bethlehem

33. Dead Palestinian being carried out of mosque

34. Close up of mourners

35. Dead Palestinian being carried by mourners

Gaza

36. Jeep carrying corpse of dead Palestinian policeman

37. Face of corpse being covered

38. Police man weeping

Ramallah

39. Wide-shot coffin being carried through streets

40. Various close up coffin, mourners chanting "God is Great".

41. Various coffin being put in ground

42. Tank

43. Tank with moon behind

44. Tank being put on lorry

45. Close up of Israeli soldier

46. People watching