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BREAKING NEWS - RAJOUB HIT

May 20, 2001

BREAKING NEWS: Israeli tanks have shelled the house of West Bank Palestinian security chief Jibril Rajoub, wounding him

MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 5/20: Jibril Rajoub is a favorite of the CIA, the headquarters of which he has personally visited numerous times in recent years on his visits to Washington. His force is the main one trained by the CIA in order to keep the Arafat Regime in power; and he himself has been considered key to survival of the "Palestinian Authority", especially should Arafat himself die or be assassinated.

Consequently, this attempt today to assassinate Rajoub, as has been done with other top Palestinian Authority persons in recent weeks, is a clear maybe final warning to Arafat, as well as those in the US still holding on to the Arafat regime, that Arafat is being given the choice to either submit or to find his Authority bombed under. Arafat may even decide that he now has the excuse he may be looking for to flee Gaza for his own survival and to attempt to lay claim to more financial and political support from the Arab regimes for a reborn PLO in exile.

Meanwhile, those Arab regimes remain paralyzed and helpless. Even the Foreign Ministers meeting under the umbrella of the Arab League, now headed by former Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Mousa, have finally called for an end to all political contacts with Israel. But what is really desperately needed is a reborn Arab League that ends all contacts with Israel, reinstitutes a total boycott of Israel, and demands an urgent emergency session of the U.N. General Assembly to suspend Israel from that body. This is the diplomatic response today's situation urgently requires.

ISRAEL SHELLS PALESTINIAN SECURITY CHIEF'S HOUSE
Anonova and Newswires, 20 May:Israeli tanks have shelled the house of West Bank Palestinian security chief Jibril Rajoub, wounding him slightly.

The house was badly damaged. Witnesses said one shell exploded inside the house and two others landed outside. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

Rajoub was seen leaving the house with blood on his hand. Two men were helping him walk.

Rajoub is considered one of the most powerful political and security figures in the West Bank. His security force is the most prominent among several operating in the territory.

Rajoub has been a frequent participant in talks with Israeli security officials about restoring cooperation. The Israeli tank fired from the District Coordination Office compound, about 400 meters from the house.

The shelling took place during a fierce exchange of fire between Palestinian gunmen in Ramallah and soldiers guarding the nearby Jewish settlement of Psagot.

Palestinians say Israel has targeted and killed at least 22 Palestinian activists since the current round of fighting erupted on September 28.

However, Israeli leaders have said that they will not target Palestinian leaders.
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Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/5/214.htm