Israel conducts military offensive in the West Bank and Gaza

The largest single raid undertaken by the Israeli army was conducted in the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank. “Operation Northern Lights” was launched on February 19. According to Palestinian reports, hundreds of Israeli soldiers backed by armoured vehicles, bulldozers and helicopters occupied Balata. The camp is the largest centre for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, with a registered population of 21,000. Israeli forces cut off Balata from the neighbouring city of Nablus and conducted house-to-house searches for wanted militants.

At least eight Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing operation, including four civilians. Local hospital officials reported that more than 50 Palestinians have been injured, many of them children who were shot after throwing stones at the Israeli forces. The Israeli military claims to have arrested 15 militants, most of whom are alleged members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is aligned with Fatah.

On the first day of the raid, two 17-year-olds, Ahmed al-Shiekh ’Eissa and Mohammed al-Natour, died after Israeli troops shot them through the neck as they were standing outside their homes. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported that the boys were killed “without any apparent reason...[a]ccording to eye witnesses, the area was completely quiet when the two children were shot dead.”

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/mar2006/isra-m02.shtml