Dear Readers
Here is the Digest for October 18th, 2004

1- Five Palestinians killed, One Israeli Officer Wounded in Gaza Strip
2- Exclusive Interview with the Nuclear Whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu
3- Dr. Al-Farra: "40% of the wounded during the military operations in
the northern Gaza Strip are children"



1- Five Palestinians killed, One Israeli Officer Wounded in Gaza Strip
George Rishmawi-IMEMC & Agencies, October 18, 2004

A Palestinian source reported that four Palestinians were killed
Monday morning, by Israeli troops gun fire and a fifth died of wounds
sustained last week in the Gaza Strip.

The source confirmed the death of two Palestinians from Al-Quds
Brigade, the armed resistance wing of the Islamic Jihad movement. The
two, Sa'di Abu Al-Eish 20 and Mohammad Ashour 21 were killed as they
clashed with Israeli troops near the settlement of Rafih Yam, near
Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday morning.

Israeli soruces said, the two were planning to plant an explosive
device near Giret military base.

In a separate incident, the brigades issued a leaflet confirming that
two of its fighters attacked an Israeli military base near the
settlement of Kissufim in the central Gaza Strip, wounding an Israeli
officer. The leaflet said, the two managed to flee the scene with no
injuries reported.

Israeli sources said, the Israeli officer has been taken to Soroka
hospital for treatment.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility
for the attack at Sufa crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, early
Monday. The brigades, named the two as, Abdul Aziz, Al-Jazzar and
Abdul Sattar Al-Jaabari.


Army kills two resistance men, infiltrated Israeli Kibbutz from Gaza
08:43

Israeli military sources said two Palestinians were killed as they
clashed with army troops near Sufa crossing between Israel and the
Gaza Strip, Monday morning.

According to the source, troops killed the two operatives after they
managed to infiltrate the steel wall surrounding the area.

The first was killed when bullets fired at him detonated the explosive
belt that he was wearing. The army claims that the second man was shot
later after an exchange of fire with the troops who chased him close
to Kibutz Holit outside of the Gaza Strip. Troops claimed that they
found an explosive device on him as well.

So far, no Palestinian group claimed responsibility. The names of the
two are still unknown as their bodies are with the army.

Medical sources at the European hospital reported that Mahmoud Al-
Sheikh Khalil died of his wounds he sustained in Gaza when an Israeli
apache shelled his house in an attempt to assassinate his brother, one
of the leaders of Al-Quds brigades.

On Saturday, the Israeli army redeployed from the northern Gaza Strip,
ending 16 days of military operations in which about 140 Palestinians
were killed and over 400 injured



2- Exclusive Interview with the Nuclear Whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu
By: Johannes Wahlstrom, Jerusalem

Ten minutes stroll northward from the lively alleyways of the Old City
and its renowned Golden Dome lays one of the Holy Land's smallest
parishes; the Anglican Church, with its neo-gothic St George
Cathedral. The massive towers and defence-walls give the impression of
an impregnable bastion, while inside one finds a green oasis of
tranquillity. In the inner yard, surrounded by grapes, almonds,
olives, pomegranates, sage, narcissus, cypress, oleander, roses and
all other imaginable and unimaginable biblical plants, lays a
Guesthouse. Here, weary Jerusalem pilgrims rest their sore feet after
a long day in the Holy City . And here for the past four months, a
fellow-Anglican, the nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu has taken
his refuge.

A technician at the Dimona nuclear weapons production plant, he blew
the whistle, and revealed the Israeli nuclear arms program to the
nation and the world; a revelation that would cost him dearly. After
being kidnapped Israeli Mossad agents in Rome, Vanunu was sentenced at
a secret trial to 18 years of jail, 12 years out of them he served in
solitary confinement.

In the solitude of the jail, he wrote:
I am your Spy. I am the clerk, the technician, the mechanic, the
driver. They said: Do this, do that, don't look left or right, don't
read the text.  Don't look at the whole machine.  You are only
responsible for this one bolt.  For this one rubber-stamp. This is
your only concern.  Don't bother with what is above you. Don't try to
think for us.  Go on, drive.  Keep going.  On, on

For full interview http://www.imemc.org/interviews/2004/october/
vanunu-interview.htm


3- Dr. Al-Farra: "40% of the wounded during the military operations in
the northern Gaza Strip are children"
Saed Bannoura -IMEMC & Agencies, October 18, 2004

Dr. Manar Al-Farra, vice-president of al-Awda Hospital, in Jabalia
refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip, said that 40% of the wounded
residents during the military raids and operations which continued for
17 days are children.

Dr. Al-Farra said in a press release that a huge number of the wounded
residents were critically shot or sustained fragmentations to the head
and that some of the injuries caused sever wounds and deforms to the
bodies of the wounded residents.

Dr. Al-Farra added that doctors spent several days at the hospital
without any break in order to deal with the huge number of injuries
and cases arriving to it, and the surgeons in some cases had to
operate the patients on the ground and had to place some of the
wounded in the corridors of the hospital since its was overcrowded
with wounded residents.

A number of critical injuries were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in
Gaza.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Farra said that several families were hosted at the
hospital after army leveled or shelled their homes and wounded several
family members in the shelling.

On the other hand, medical teams faced difficulties and huge risks
trying to reach some of the neighboring areas in order to treat and
provide first aide to tens of residents, in addition to the
difficulties and harassments they faced on tens of checkpoints erected
in the area.

Israeli sources said, the two were planning to plant an explosive
device near Giret military base.

It is worth mentioning that the military operation, known as "Days of
Penitence", conducted in the Gaza Strip on September 30, 2004 which
last for more than 17 days resulted in killing more than 140
Palestinians, including children, in addition to more than 400
injuries.