"Israel" seals off West Bank and Gaza

Source: AFP & AJP, 22-4-2007
The "Israeli" army sealed off the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, while more than 6 Palestinians died in "Israeli" army raids and air strikes.
The army said in a statement it would seal off the West Bank and Gaza Strip ahead of what it said was a remembrance day for dead "Israeli" soldiers and the country's Independence Day on Tuesday.
The statement, which didn't say how long the lockdown would last, said Palestinians will only be allowed to enter "Israel" for humanitarian reasons, but international organizations, NGOs, medical personnel and reporters will not be affected.
The decision came as fighting erupted between "Israeli" occupation forces and Palestinian fighters in the West Bank and Gaza, although the army announced the lockdown before the violence began.
Reports say three Palestinian fighters, two from al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and one from Islamic Jihad, were killed late Saturday when "Israeli" undercover troops opened fire on their car in the West Bank town of Jenin.
"Israeli" occupation forces also shot dead a Palestinian policeman near Jenin.
Palestinian security sources said the policeman was watching an "Israeli" arrest operation in the village of Kafr Dan from a roof when he was shot.
A 17-year-old Palestinian girl was also shot dead by "Israeli" troops as she stood at a window in her house.
Violence was also reported in the Gaza Strip, where an "Israeli" missile hit a car north of Jabaliya, killing a Palestinian man and wounding another.
The air strike came shortly after Palestinian fighters fired rockets from Gaza into southern "Israel", slightly wounding two "Israelis".
The fighters said the attack was in retaliation for Palestinian deaths in the West Bank.
The "Israeli" attacks were strongly condemned by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas.
"We call on the Arab leaders to urgently intervene in order to break the `Israeli` siege on the Palestinian government and answer the `Israeli` aggressions against our people," he said in a statement.
The "Israeli" army and Palestinian resistance groups have observed a truce since November, although "Israel" has launched raids, and fighters in Gaza have fired some rockets into "Israel".
Both sides say they're still committed to the ceasefire, but "Israel" says it has the right to defend itself against rocket attacks, and Palestinian fighters say they have a right to protect themselves as long as "Israel" continues to carry out raids in the West Bank.