World News 02-11-2000 Israel Peace deal who: Former Prime Minister Shimon what: Agrees ceasefire with Yasser Arafat where: GAZA when: Yesterday snippet: "The Israeli Government has announced that it will not fire on Palestinian targets," reports the BBC this morning, "following a meeting between former Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat." "The detente comes at a crucial time," reports Judy Dempsey for The Financial Times. "On Wednesday the West Bank town of Bethlehem was plunged into fighting and mayhem as Israeli helicopter gunships battled with Palestinian fighters in clashes signalling a greater intensity in the violence." The fighting, described as "all-out war between two armies" by one Palestinian minister, raged for several hours in al-Khader, a Palestinian village on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Two Palestinians, including a policeman, were killed and at least 12 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers were wounded. Meanwhile, three Palestinian teenagers were shot dead when a Palestinian group attacked an Israeli military unit at Karni Junction, the main commercial crossing from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The Guardian`s Brian Whitaker describes the conflict as "stone-throwing clashes" but an Israeli military spokesman said later "The wounded were evacuated under massive fire with protection from helicopter gunships. It was a very serious incident." The death toll since violence began last month is now 162. [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!