Dear Readers
Here is the digest for October 25th, 2004

1- 14 residents killed in Khan Younis, 15 homes leveled
2- Sha'ath: Next leader Should Raise U.S. Interest in ME Conflict



1- 14 residents killed in Khan Younis, 15 homes leveled
Saed Bannoura, IMEMC & Agencies, October 25, 2004, 15:01

A medical source in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that the
number of residents killed in Khan Younis reached 14 residents, after
soldiers killed two more residents, while soldiers continued they
military raid leveling more than fifteen homes and bulldozing vast
agricultural area.

The source said that Mohammad Khader Abu Sultan, 15 years old, was
shot dead to the chest, and that Sami Barbakh, 22 years old, died of
wounds sustained on Monday at dawn after soldier shelled the Austrian
neighborhood.

Moreover, soldiers equipped with sniper rifles, and automatic guns,
topped tens of buildings in Batn Al-Sameen area, in Khan Younis, after
searching them and erected monitoring towers.

It is worth mentioning that soldiers leveled more than 15 homes in
Batn Al-Sameen area, Khan Younis, in addition to vast agricultural
fields and barracks.

12 killed in Khan Younis, more than 60 wounded including 17 children
12:40

Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the Emergency Unit in the Ministry of
Health, said that the number of residents killed in the operation raid
in Khan Younis reached 12 residents, and more than 60 injuries, 12
critically, including 17 children shot wounded 5 critically.

Dr. Hassanen said that Eyad Abu Lihya, 35, and Hussein Hasan Abu
Namous, 30 years old, were shot dead in Khan Younis, in addition to
more than 60 residents who were shot wounded.

Most of the injuries are to the head, neck and heart, which makes
explains the high numbers of deaths and critical wounds.

Moreover, Dr. Hassanen added that at least sixty residents were
hospitalized in addition to several residents who were lightly wounded
and received first aid on the scene.

Ten killed, more than fifty wounded, in Khan Younis
11:49

A Medical source in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that the
number of Palestinians killed in the military operation which started
on Sunday evening reached ten, in addition to more than fifty
injuries, 12 critically.

Dr. Mohyi Al-Farra, head of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said that
the number of killed residents who have been transferred to the
Hospital reached 10, most of them unidentified yet, since their bodies
were severely mutilated in addition to more than 50 injuries, mostly
children and school students.

Dr. Al-Farra added that soldiers killed Hisham Hasan Ashour, 10 years
old, and Ibrahim Al-Qudra, 18 years old, after shelling the Austrian
neighborhood in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Moreover, soldiers killed three residents and wounded four others
after a military apache fired a missile at a group of people in Batn
Al-Sameen area, in Khan Younis, on Monday at dawn.

The bodies of the three residents were not identified as they were
severely mutilated; one resident was later on identified as Sami
Narallah Zorob.

A medical source at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that the
following residents who were killed in the military raids since Sunday
were identified as, Ayman Al-Jbour, 24, Husam Al-Breem, Mohammad Fawzy
Zorob, Sami Nasrallah Zorob, Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Nimir, Salman Barham
Zorob, Ahmad Mousa Al-Byouk, 37, Mahmoud Al-Basheety, Hisham Ashour.
10, Ibarhim Al-Qudra, 18 years old.

The bodies of most of the killed residents were severely mutilated, in
addition to more than 32 residents who were wounded in the shelling,
including at least 12 children; some of the injuries were described as
critical.

On the other hand, the Palestinian Ministry of Health called upon the
residents to donate blood to its Hospitals and medical centers, while
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that it is in immediate need of
blood units, especially "O-" type.

A P.A security source said that the military raid was initiated on
Sunday evening, when more than thirty military vehicles centered in
the Gush Katif settlement Bloc fired several missiles at a P.A
security center killing Ayman Al-Jbour, 25 years old, and Husam Al-
Breem, 23 years old.

Moreover, a military scouting plane fired a number of missiles at a
group of activists of Al-Aqsa Brigades killing Mohammad Barham Zorob,
and wounding Tawfiq Zorob, Akram Zorob, Awadh Zorob and Ahmad Zorob.

On the other hand, soldiers leveled tens of homes in Batn Al-Sameen
area in Khan Younis, including the home of Hamas leader Mohammad Al-
Sinwar.

A local source in the area said that tens of military bulldozers and
vehicles leveled the homes and bulldozed agricultural fields in the
area causing huge damages.

The Israeli security holds Al-Sinwar responsible of manufacturing
combat materials, shells, in addition to financing the production of
combat materials.

In a separate incident, the Israeli radio said that a resistance group
fired several shells at the Negev town of Sderot, but did not report
any injuries of damages, on Monday at dawn.

Army, on the other hand, said that two Israeli soldiers were wounded
during the military raid carried out in Khan Younis; the injuries were
described as moderate, according to Israeli sources.

According to a report released by the Israeli military, more than 200
shells were fired from the Gaza Strip since the beginning of
September, including 20 shells fired this week.


2- Sha'ath: Next leader Should Raise U.S. Interest in ME Conflict
IMEMC & Agencies, October 25, 2004

Refraining from expressing any preference for either U.S. President
George W. Bush or his rival Senator John Kerry, the Palestinian
Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said that the next U.S. president must
realize that defusing the Middle East crisis is key to fighting the
war on terrorism.

"I don't want to be negative and say that the continuation of the
conflict produces instability and terrorism in the world," Nabil
Shaath told Le Figaro newspaper in an interview published Monday. "I
prefer say that by resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict we will
remove from terrorists the real reasons or pretexts for hatred against
the West."

Shaath said he hoped the next president would "reinvest in the peace
process" after next week's election. He added, "The winner, whoever he
may be, should think of American interests in the Middle East."

Despite his strong support to Israel, Bush got only minimal support
from the powerful Jewish pro-Israel lobby in the U.S.

A speech by United States President George W. Bush's national security
adviser to a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group in Florida eight days
before the election caps a concerted Republican drive for Jewish votes
that has so far yielded minimal results.

Now his national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, who described
AIPAC as "a great asset to our country," will address the group on
Monday in Hollywood, Florida, in one of the most hotly contested
battleground states in the November 2 race.

The White House has given the organization almost unparalleled access
to top officials, regardless of a probe into whether the AIPAC
lobbying group passed classified information to Israel, an allegation
AIPAC denies.

The Jewish-Americans make up about 2 percent of the total population.
They have overwhelmingly supported Democrat Al Gore in 2000 elections.
Polls show support for republicans is slowly growing.

That could have an impact in states like Florida - where roughly 4
percent of the population is Jewish - as well as Pennsylvania and
Arizona, all won by slim margins in the last presidential election,
pollsters say.