Dear readers
Here is the digest for October 27, 2004

1- Palestinian dies as ambulance was held up by Settlers
2- U.S. Welcomes Knesset Approval of Pullout Plan
3- MOH: "19 killed, 122 Wounded in Khan Younis"



1- Palestinian dies as ambulance was held up by Settlers
George Rishmawi-IMEMC & Agencies, October 27, 2004

Israeli Haaretz said in its online edition that the settlers of an
unauthorized settlers outpost near the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar
in Nablus area, held up the ambulance coming to evacuate Salman Al-
Safadi, 18 after he was shot by the settlement guard.

The settlers prevented an ambulance from reaching the Palestinian
teenager, Israeli military sources said Wednesday. The teen died
before the ambulance arrived.

Earlier reports said that Al-Safadi was taken to the hospital in
critical conditions.

The residents of the outpost, near the West Bank settlement of
Yitzhar, also clashed with Israeli troops, the source said.
Settler shoots and kills a Palestinian near Nablus
08:35

A security guard at an outpost near the West Bank settlement of
Yitzhar shot and killed a Palestinian civilian there on Tuesday
afternoon, identified as Salman Al-Safadi 18 years old.

The Settlers claims Al-Safadi had entered a house in the outpost, and
the security coordinator chased him and shot him.

It was not clear why the Palestinian entered the house, however, it
was clear that he was unarmed.

As Al-Safadi was in critical condition, an ambluance from Beilinson
Hospital in Petah Tikva was called to evacuate him.

Settlers said the Palestinian was armed with a knife, Israel Radio
reported, but security forces have found no evidence that he had a
weapon.

Israeli sources said, the security forces detained the security guard
for questioning after the incident.

Settlers from Yitzhar have previously attacked olive growers and
assaulted some farmers in the past couple of weeks.

On October 11, Yitzhar settlers attacked the villagers in the village
of Aseera Al-Qibleyya, south of Nablus as they were picking olives in
their fields.

Hani Shihadeh, 26, was shot in the neck by a soldier after the troops
arrived at the orchard to break up a fist fight between Jewish
settlers and the Palestinians picking olives, said Munir Darwish, a
Palestinian who was picking with Shihadeh.

Darwish reported that a soldier knelt on his knees and took aim at
Shihadeh from about 300 meters distance and shot him. However, the
army claimed that a Jewish settler shot Shihadeh.


2- U.S. Welcomes Knesset Approval of Pullout Plan
IMEMC & Agencies, October 26, 2004

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday praised the Knesset's approval of
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan and the
removal of settlements from Gaza and four of the West Bank.

Deputy spokesman of the State Department, Adam Ereli expressed the U.
S. administration belief that this plan is a real opportunity for
progress in the Peace Process.

"We think the withdrawal plan presents an opportunity to advance the
interests of both sides. The United States' belief, that the Gaza
disengagement plan, as presented by Prime Minister Sharon, offers real
opportunity for progress and a return to the political process" Ereli
said after the vote.

Sharon: "Won't Give into Pressure or Threats"
09:20

The Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reiterated his refusal to hold
a national referendum on the disengagement plans despite threats by
some of his key Likud ministers to quit the cabinet.

Sharon said shortly after his disengagement plan won a resounding
victory in a Knesset vote that he would not give into threats to hold
a national referendum on the matter.

4 Likud Ministers Threaten to Quit Unless Referendum is Held on
Disengagement
20:06
Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister
Limor Livnat both threatened on Tuesday evening to quit cabinet unless
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to hold a referendum on the
approved by the Knesset disengagement plan.

They said that Likud ministers Yisrael Katz and Dan Naveh would also
quit if a decision is not made on the poll within 14 days.

"We ... have decided to give the prime minister two weeks to announce
a referendum, and if not, we will not be able to see ourselves as
staying in this government," Netanyahu told reporters.

"I believe that the prime minister will go for a referendum and we can
all do the right thing, if not, we have to say enough, is enough,"
Livnat said.

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Ehud
Olmert called the threats "an unfair and dishonorable maneuver."

Knesset Approves the Disengagement Bill
67 Knesset members voted in favor of the disengagement bill, 45 voted
gainst, and 7 Knesset members abstained.

sources close to Sharon said that immediatly after the vote, the
Israeli premier sent letters to Minister Uzi Landau and deputy
minister Ratson who voted against the disengagement bill, informing
both with his decision to fire them.

Sharon Dismisses Calls for Referendum, Urges Ministers to Vote

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Tuesday evening dismissed
Education Minister Limor Livnat and Finance Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu demand to hold a referendum on the disengagement plan,
urging the ministers to return to the plenum for the vote.

Ministers to Abstain Unless Sharon Calls a Referendum
Likud ministers Limor Livnat, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sylvan Shalom,
Yisrael Katz and Tzachi Hanegbi are threatening to abstain in Tuesday
evening vote on the disengagement plan if Sharon does not agree to
hold a national referendum.

The threat comes after the ministers struck a deal with the National
Religious Party under which NRP promised not to quit the coalition
regardless the results of the referendum.

Minister Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party) on Tuesday offered
Sharon 14 days to decide to hold a referendum on his disengagement
plan, otherwise his party will pullout the cabinet.

Orlev told reporters that he had assured Sharon that the party would
remain in the coalition until the next general elections whatever the
results of the referendum.

Shalom: A Vote for Disengagement Isn't a Vote for Evacuation
19:58

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Tuesday urged Knesset
members to support the disengagement, saying a vote for the plan was
not a vote for evacuating settlements.

Shalom also urged Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon not to fire
ministers and deputies who vote against the plan.

Sharon is said to be confident of a solid majority in the Knesset vote
on his disengagement plan, which will take place at 8:00 P.M. on
Tuesday evening.

Shalom stressed that the implementation of the evacuation will require
additional approval by the government.

"This decision does not include evacuating settlements," said Shalom,
adding a decision on the evacuation would take place only in March or
June.

Sources in Sharon's Bureau said Monday that Sharon is determined to
fire Minister Uzi Landau and Deputy Minister Michael Ratzon if they
carry out their threat to oppose the plan.


3- MOH: "19 killed, 122 Wounded in Khan Younis"
Saed Bannoura, IMEMC & Agencies, October 27, 2004

The Palestinian Ministry of Health accused the Israeli Government
increased it military operations against the Palestinian in Khan
Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip killing 19 residents and
wounding more than 122 others.

Health Information Center in the Ministry said that only seven days
after withdrawing from the north of the Gaza Strip, soldiers started a
new invasion killing 19 residents and wounding 122 in addition to
leveling tens of homes.

A report released by the MOH revealed that 16% of the residents killed
in the operation were children between the ages of 11 and 18.
(Percentage of wounded children in 2004 arrived to 41%).

Moreover, the report revealed that the injuries were concentrated
mainly to the upper parts of the body, and that army used highly
explosive materials in eth shelling; most of the residents killed in
the operations lost body parts or their bodies were severely
mutilated.

Concerning military violations against medical teams and Hospitals,
the report revealed that soldiers fired several shells at Nasser
Hospital, in Khan Younis, causing huge damages in the administrative
branch, pediatric and surgery sections.

Moreover, several ambulances were targeted by military fire or were
forced to stop while transferring wounding residents under claims of
searches.

The Infrastructure in Khan Younis was widely destroyed as army
bulldozed streets and shelled electricity generators and suppliers in
addition to bulldozing the water and sewerage lines.

More than 48 homes were completely leveled in addition to tens of
homes which were partially damages as a result of the shelling.

Army, on the other hand, bulldozed graves in "Al-Shuhada Graveyard",
in the west of Khan Younis, and took over the area after besieging it
which in return barred the residents from burying the residents killed
in the operations.

Moreover, soldiers bulldozed tens of Dunams of agricultural fields and
trees in Beit Hanoun, while army continued bulldozing fields on
Wednesday.

So far more than 130 Dunams were bulldozed in Beit Hanoun, while the
military operations resume leaving more damages in the area.