Mideast violence kills scores over 2 days

Israelis attack Yasser Arafat's office in Gaza

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JERUSALEM -- Israel attacked Yasser Arafat's Gaza office by air and sea and fired on Palestinian police compounds, killing 12 security officials early today, a day after violence by both sides left 15 dead in one of the bloodiest periods of the Palestinian uprising.

As Israeli warships fired machine guns and a missile at Arafat's office, killing four guards, Israeli attack helicopters shot missiles at Gaza police compounds and an F-16 warplane dropped a bomb, sending huge plumes of smoke into the air.

The attacks in Gaza, which began at 3 a.m., were still in progress three hours later, witnesses said, adding that there were at least 40 explosions.

It was the first time Israel had targeted Arafat's Gaza headquarters. Arafat himself is confined to his West Bank compound in Ramallah, hemmed in by Israeli tanks. There, a Palestinian security officer was killed when Israeli helicopters fired eight missiles, hitting a police structure not far from Arafat's office and another several miles away, Palestinians said.

Near the scene north of Ramallah where the six soldiers were shot and killed, a Palestinian officer was killed overnight in an exchange of fire with Israeli troops, Palestinian security said.

In Nablus, Israeli tanks fired shells at two Palestinian police outposts, killing six policemen and wounding four, Palestinians said. Tanks fired shells from two directions, witnesses said. The Israeli military would say only that there was military activity in the area.

Gaza security commander Maj. Gen. Abdel Razek Majaidie told The Associated Press, "Israel crossed all red lines by attacking Arafat's office."

Capping a violent day

The latest Israeli strikes capped one of the most violent days in the 17-month Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was convening his Security Cabinet later today to discuss the sudden upsurge in violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Palestinian gunmen late Tuesday infiltrated an army post near Ein Arik on the West Bank, killing six soldiers, the Israeli army said. The Al Aqsa Brigades, linked to Arafat's Fatah, claimed responsibility.

Earlier Israeli airstrikes along with shelling and a raid by undercover forces left eight Palestinians dead, including a 14-year-old girl, in the West Bank and Gaza, according to Palestinian sources.

Tuesday began with a Palestinian suicide bomber blowing himself up seconds after he was pushed off an Israeli bus by its suspicious driver near the northern West Bank settlement of Mehola, police said.

The upsurge in violence increased the pressure on Sharon to take more decisive action.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra said the Palestinians had taken over the element of surprise, once an Israeli prerogative.

"They attack and we defend. In the past we attacked and they defended," Ezra said. "We need to return to that...we have to control the situation."

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