Israeli Troops Kill Seven Palestinians in Gaza

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed seven Palestinians, at least five of them armed, in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in the latest phase of the army's week-old offensive against Islamic militant strongholds.

On the political front, Israel's center-left Labor Party said it was pulling out of talks to join Ariel Sharon's governing coalition after the prime minister signed a coalition deal with the pro-settlement National Religious Party (NRP).

The decision dashed Sharon's hopes of forming a unity government to try to provide much-needed economic stability to Israel, which has been rocked by a 29-month-old Palestinian uprising for statehood which began after peace talks stalled.

Israeli armored columns backed by helicopter gunships rumbled into the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun shortly after midnight Sunday, battling gunmen and destroying the homes of six Islamic militants. Palestinian sources said six Palestinians were killed in Beit Hanoun, including four gunmen and members of the Palestinian security forces and one stone thrower.

A seventh Palestinian, armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and hand grenades, was killed during an attempt to infiltrate the Jewish settlement of Netzarim in central Gaza, the army said.

The deaths raised to 41 the number of Palestinians killed this week, most in Israeli military raids into the Gaza Strip.

"We hold Israel fully responsible for this escalation," senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

At least 1,868 Palestinians and 705 Israelis have been killed since the uprising began in September 2000.

The Labor Party said it had found no common ground with Sharon over peacemaking with the Palestinians and saw no reason to pursue negotiations to join the governing coalition Sharon is trying to form after winning a January 28 general election.

"The contacts are over," said On Levy, a spokesman for Labor chairman Amram Mitzna.

Sharon's right-wing Likud party was due to hold more coalition talks with the centrist Shinui party. Partnership with the NRP and Shinui would give Sharon control of 61 seats in the 120-member parliament.

In Beit Hanoun, soldiers carried out house-to-house searches and arrested several suspected militants, the army said. Bulldozers also piled up sand and asphalt at the town entrance to block off traffic, according to Palestinian witnesses.

Residents said troops blew up houses belonging to five Hamas militants and one Islamic Jihad member. The army said it was a message to militants that their "deeds have a price."

Troops detained a Palestinian cameraman filming the scene for Reuters, drawing a written protest from an international media organization demanding his immediate release.

The army said it suspected the journalist, Ahmed al-Khatib, 34, was involved in "terrorist activities." Soldiers led him away after inspecting his identity papers.

The army launched its current offensive against militants in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank city of Nablus after Hamas killed four tank crewmen in a bomb attack earlier this month.

Despite the violence, Palestinian leaders called for militant groups to honor a one-year cease-fire as part of Egyptian-brokered negotiations between Palestinian nationalist and Islamic factions which have so far borne little fruit.

Mahmoud Abbas, secretary-general of the PLO's Executive Committee, wrote in the Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam that he expected the Cairo talks to resume, possibly next week.

Also related:

IDF Soldier Killed By Sniper Fire In Southern Gaza

(IsraelNN.com) It is now permitted to announce that the Israeli wounded by gunfire in southern Gaza near N'vei Dekalim this morning was an IDF soldier.

The soldier was hit in his back by sniper fire from PA-controlled Khan Yunis. He was transported to the Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva where he died of his injuries a short time later.

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Rocket Attack in Southern Israel

(IsraelNN.com) At least one Qassam rocket has landed in S'derot, in southern Green Line Israel. According to Magen David Adom officials, several persons are being treated for hysteria. Additional confirmed details will be published as they become available.

Reuters is not able to print the truth when it comes to Islamofacist/kazi terrorism and the thugs in control of Iraq, Iran, Syria or Palestine. They are pro terrorist and Islamofacist/Kazi murdering of the innocent.

Reuters is controlled by an rich Opecker Prince who will not allow the words terrorism or terrorist to be used in any article where the Islamofacists/kazis are responsible.

The pure bull $ that Reuters has printed since New Years to save their Uncle Soddomite's rear end is massive and like a continuing wet dream by Reuters with little if any basis on reality! This wet dream posing as a news article is a prime example of the BS Reuters puts out posing as news.

This meter should be run with the posting of any Reuters article. Reuters makes the Ny Slimes look all most honest.

Believe nothing that Reuters has to say about the Islamofacists leaders, our allies and our administration. Reuters creates more Bravo Sierra in a day than 1,000,000 cattle do.

Meanwhile, Reuters is taking a beating in the business world. This week, Reuters reported a loss of $631 million, the largest in its 150-year history. In addition, Reuters announced 3,000 job cuts, along with the 3,200 jobs cut over the past two years. Reuters' market capitalization has plunged by almost 90 percent from its peak, and Reuters' stock has fallen to a 14-year low. (Reuters posts record loss, to cut jobs News provider to cut 3,000 workers as part of turnaround plan , Link to how the Reuters lies and BS hits Reuters's bottom line)

Apparently Reuters' dwindling credibility as a media provider is now affecting their bottom line. May Reuters go broke and slide into the Irrelevant Cesspool!

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