Israel Conducts Mass Roundup of Palestinians

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.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=586&e=5&cid=586&u=/nm/20030402/wl_nm/mideast_dc