One Israeli Killed, Eight Wounded in West Bank Attacks

Photo: Yediot

Jerusalem----July 13.....Palestinian terrorists shot at a group of Israeli civilians in a Jewish neighborhood of Hebron, killing one Israeli. Yehezkel Mualem, was shot and killed while protesting the murder of another Israeli at the same spot. He is being buried at this hour at Jerusalem’s Har Hamenuchot cemetery.

Eight Israelis were wounded with one listed in moderate condition, bullets having lodged in each of his legs. Both men were immediately treated by emergency crews at the scene of the attack and rushed by ambulance to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.

The situation in Hebron has deteriorated to the worst condition in nine months with heavy gun-battles now raging in that West Bank city. Witnesses say that the "city is shaking from gun and tank fire".
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has sent his son Omri to meet Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah late on Thursday, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz said. Sharon is using his son as an emissary to see what measures may be taken to reduce the violence.
In Hebron, witnesses said several Israeli tanks shelled three outposts of the elite Palestinian Force 17 unit in Hebron.

The IDF has stated that they will now respond in force to unprovoked attacks by the Palestinians.

The Palestinian "Popular Army Front" said in a statement the shooting was in retaliation for Israeli attacks and added: "We will chase those mob settlers on all the roads and we will target YESHA Council (the settler leadership) for arming the settlers." Some 400 Jewish settlers live in guarded Hebron enclaves.

Yesterday, two parents and their six month old infant were shot in a terror attack near Nablus.
Masked men who said they belonged to Arafat's Fatah faction claimed responsibility for the attack on the Israeli family.

Due to Palestinian terror and violence, 125 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed since September.