Israel fired missiles at Palestinian security offices in the Gaza Strip today, apparently responding to mortar attacks in violence that coincided with preparations for possible ceasefire talks.
Palestinian security officials said at least one member of the elite Force 17 was wounded when two Israeli surface-to-surface missiles struck its headquarters in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip.
There was no immediate Israeli army comment on the strike that followed four Palestinian mortar attacks, which caused no injuries, in the Gaza area in the past 24 hours.
Hours before the missile attack, a senior Palestinian official said President Mr Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Mr Shimon Peres may meet in the region next week to try to end nearly a year of bloodshed.
Mr Arafat's adviser Mr Nabil Abu Rdainah said Mr Arafat believed the EU-brokered ceasefire talks needed to be properly prepared to avoid failure. An earlier plan had been to hold them on the sidelines of an economic conference in Italy at the weekend.
A heightened security alert in Jerusalem after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in the Holy City yesterday, wounding 15 people, cast a pall over the latest peace bid, led by EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana.
President Arafat told Mr Solana he will contact him on Sunday to set the time and venue of a meeting with Mr Peres, Mr Abu Rdainah told reporters. He said the meeting could take place any time after Monday.
In Jerusalem today Israeli security forces arrested four Israeli Arabs involved in a recent bomb attack in northern Israel, Israeli public radio said.
Three of them "are only 16 years old," Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon's office said in a statement.
They were arrested near Deir Hanna, an Israeli Arab village, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Nazareth, the radio said, adding that they had been recruited by "tanzims" from the northern West Bank town of Jenin.
"Tanzim" is Israel's term for armed groups linked to Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.
The members of the cell were involved in the August 31 bomb attack at the Golani crossroads which caused no injuries, the radio added.
AFP and