HIGLIGHTS: Occupation Forces Prevent Ramadan Shoppers Returning from Ramallah to Enter their Villages in Beit Rima, Silwad and Mazraat Sharqihah|| Jenin & Nablus Focus of Detention Campaign|| Resistance Man Attacks an Internationally Illegal Settlement Killing Two Settlers and Injuring a Third Before He Was killed by an Israeli Guard|| Arafat Challenges Israeli Occupation Authorities to Expel Him||STORY: Witnesses said that Israeli occupation troops are surrounding more than 30 Palestinians at the entrance gate to Beit Rima, Silwad and the Mazraat Sharqiyah-15 KMS North East of Ramallah. The occupation forces have sealed the area with no one allowed to leave or enter.

However, the sources, said that a group of women were allowed to leave to shop in Ramallah for their Ramadan needs but on return they were not allowed to enter.

Some took refuge in neighbouring villages while others preferred to stay stranded in their cars at the entrance to the area. Later, they were allowed to return home.

ARRESTS IN JENIN & NABLUS

At the same time, occupation troops launched a detention campaign in the West Bank where scores of Palestinian youths were arrested- focus of the campaign was in reoccupied Jenin and Nablus.

House-to-house searches were conducted in search for so-called wanted activists. Youths above 15-year old were detained and taken to an unknown location.

At the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, 7 Palestinians, neighbours to a Palestinian bomber who attacked Kfar Sada near Tell Aviv on Monday killing 2 Israeli settlers and injuring 30 others, were also detained.

The Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of the resistance group Islamic Jihad, claimed the attack. 

In the same context, Palestinians said a 16 year-old, Thamir Abu Qlibat was seriously injured when occupation troops fired at civilians in occupied Nablus in the Northern West Bank.

The incident took place only hours after a Palestinian worker shot two Israeli settlers at a settlement where he was employed in the Gaza strip. Two of the settlers he attacked were killed and a third was injured before the attacker himself was killed by one of the guards at the settlement.

The Izzedin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas claimed responsibility. In a statement Hams named the attacker as Isamil Ashour Braif (25 years old) of Khan Yunis.

The attack came as Israeli occupation authorities detained 15 Palestinians suspected of being associated with resistance activities near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The occupation authorities gave no details as to whether the detainees were residents of the West Bank or Gaza or Israeli Arabs of territories occupied by Israel in 1948.

ARRAFAT CHALLENGES EXPULSION THREAT

Meanwhile, Palestinian president Yasser Arafat challenged Israeli authorities to expel him. Answering a reporter's question on whether he could be expelled out of the territories by the Israeli occupation authorities, Arafat said he dared any one to expel President Arafat from his homeland. Arafat was speaking to reporters after receiving a Christian Orthodox religious delegation of patriarchs from Jerusalem. 

On Tuesday, Israel's news foreign minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said that getting rid of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will provide a good opportunity for Israel to expel Arafat expressing regret that the Israeli authorities didn't expel Arafat following the recent spate of bloody resistance attacks that claimed the lives of scores of Israelis.

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat meanwhile said he expected the election campaign to be dominated by a tougher policy on the Palestinians. In a statement, he urged Israeli voters to choose a government "that is capable of making peace."
Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmad Maher described the caretaker government Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon is forming ahead of snap elections in February as being the worst government in Israel's history as it groups all political elements opposed to the peace process in Israel. He also indicated that the Palestinian authority has serious reservations regarding the so-called 'roadmap' peace proposals drawn by the quartet group and advocated by Washington including articles concerning Israeli settlements, Israeli withdrawal and Jerusalem.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli occupation soldiers stand in front of a demolished house in the northeast tip of the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank in this April 14, 2002 file photo. Occupation troops launched a detention campaign in the West Bank where scores of Palestinian youths were arrested- focus of the campaign (Nov. 6, 2002) was in reoccupied Jenin and Nablus.
(AP Photo/Lefteris Pita