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Israel conducts mass roundup { April 2 2003 }

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   http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-mideast.html

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-mideast.html

April 2, 2003
Israel Conducts Mass Roundup of Palestinians
By REUTERS


Filed at 2:58 p.m. ET

TULKARM, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli troops rounded up at least 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tulkarm on Wednesday in a fresh sweep for wanted militants after a suicide bomber from the region struck a nearby Israeli town.

Palestinian officials denounced the incursion, accusing Israel of intensifying its clampdown on the Palestinians while the world's attention was turned to war in Iraq. Israel said the sweep was justified by security concerns.

Soldiers in tanks and armored vehicles backed by helicopters imposed a curfew in Tulkarm and searched homes for militants and arms before telling males aged 14 to 40 to gather in the courtyard of a school or face punishment, residents said.

Palestinian witnesses said about 2,000 people were rounded up. The Israeli army said it was about half that number.

At least 11 were identified as wanted militants and taken into custody, the army said. It said most others were freed after identity checks and some were still being questioned.

It was the largest round-up in Tulkarm for a year and came after a militant from a nearby village blew himself up outside a cafe in the Israeli town of Netanya on Sunday, wounding 30 people. Islamic Jihad called it a ``gift'' to the Iraqi people.

Palestinians launched an uprising for independence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in September 2000 after talks with Israel envisaging a Palestinian state stalled.

``We urge the international community not to allow Israel to exploit war on Iraq to escalate its suppressive measures against the Palestinian people,'' cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said.

An Israeli government official said: ``The army carries out continuous security operations in the territories to thwart terrorism, including the murderous attack in Netanya on Sunday.''

UNITED STATES URGES RESTRAINT

The United States, chief mediator in the conflict, is now preoccupied with war in Iraq and facing rising anti-American resentment in the Arab world. It has urged Israel to restrain military operations and called on Palestinians to curb attacks.

Palestinian violence has tailed off somewhat since U.S. and British forces invaded Iraq on March 20, while Israel has eased off on raids against Islamic militants in Gaza.

Against this backdrop, security officers from Gaza met recently with Israeli counterparts for the first time in months, Palestinian Major General Abdel-Razek al-Majaydeh told Reuters.

He said the meeting was at a junior level and did not signify a resumption of long-suspended security cooperation talks. ``There were no results from the meeting,'' he said.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli forces demolished the Hebron home of a militant whom the army said had shot dead an Israeli and carried out other attacks. Palestinians and human rights groups condemn house demolitions as collective punishment, while Israel says the practice is necessary to deter attacks.

Israeli forces have detained thousands of Palestinians during the conflict. About 4,800 remained jailed as of early March -- 1,400 serving prison terms, 1,090 in legal proceedings and 2,400 detained without charge, the Israeli rights group B'tselem said, citing army and prison figures.

In Ramallah, hospital officials said a 17-year-old Palestinian died of gunshot wounds suffered in a stone-throwing clash with soldiers. At least 1,960 Palestinians and 727 Israelis have been killed since the uprising began.



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