As for the "Royal" Saudis, it's really all about their trying to save their own skins. That's what the "new Saudi Peace Plan" is really all about -- a plan which is actually not new, not Saudi, and not going to bring Peace. But more on this in the days and weeks ahead if we can. For now, major new developments in occupied Palestine at the moment; events that are in all likelihood a precursor of what the Israelis (always with American support and assistance no matter what the rhetoric coming from Washington) are planning when the bigger war envelopes the region maybe later this year.

URGENT ALERT:

28 February 2002

The Israeli army has launched a full scale attack on Balata Refugee Camp, Nablus, and Jenin city and refugee camp. Precise fatality figures are as yet unconfirmed, as the attacks still continue: at least two were killed in Balata, and five in Jenin. The final death toll is likely to be much higher; these attacks are indiscriminate and vicious.

The army attacked Balata with some 30 tanks and armoured personnel carriers and two apache helicopters at around 1 a.m. this morning, attempting to enter the camp from three sides. Palestinian ambulances were initially prevented from reaching the injured, resulting in a high number of casualties, and the Israeli army fired live ammunition at two Red Crescent ambulances. 61 Palestinians in Balata are seriously injured, in Jenin at least 40 are injured.

Balata refugee camp is home to 20,000, and Jenin refugee camp home to 18,000 Palestinian refugees who were dispossessed from their villages and land in 1948. [Source: The Palestine Monitor, A PNGO Information Clearinghouse]

Occupied Jerusalem: 28 February, 2002 (IAP News)- Israeli occupation troops on Thursday rampaged through two Palestinian refugee camps in the northern part of the West Bank, killing and wounding more than a hundred people, the bulk of whom are innocent civilians,including children and women.

The two refugee camps, Balata near Nablus and the Jenin-camp, near the West Bank's northernmost town of Jenin were attacked by thousands of Israeli troops, backed by scores of tanks and armored vehicles.

According to eyewitnesses, the attacking army barraged the two densely populated camps with heavy machinegun fire for several hours Thursday before advancing through their narrow streets, amid stiff resistance from refugees.

One local resident, who identified himself as Hasan Ikhdeir, said the Israeli occupation troops were firing in all directions and at everybody moving.

"They fired into the windows, the doors, the streets, the schools, targeting everything and anything moving.it is a virtual massacre."

According to hospital sources in Nablus, 11 Palestinians were killed as of 12:30 GMT, most of them civilians.

As many as 70 people, including many school kids sustained serious to moderate gunshot wounds.

One Israeli occupation soldier was killed and two other wounded by resistance fighters who only have light rifles and stones to defend the camp.

Palestinian legislative council member Hussam Khader, who lives at the Balata refugee camp described the Israeli onslaught against civilians as "a carnage happening in full day light."

"They are slaughtering civilians en mass, while the world is watching passively? Shame on the United Nations, Shame on the international community, shame on human rights organizations, shame on the European Union, shame on the world."

Shortly before noon Thursday , the Israeli army reportedly warned the refugees through loudspeakers that those who didn't leave the camp within three hours will be slaughtered.

Some Israeli web-sites pointed out that the refugees in Balata (pop. 20,000) were ordered to leave the camp in three hours (from 12-3:00 pm. local time), apparently in preparation for massive Israeli aerial bombing of the camp.

However, it seemed that most refugees would defy the Israeli ultimatum.

"We won't leave our camp, if they (the Israeli army) want to slaughter us of all they can do it, and they don't have to worry because (US President George) Bush would bless them, but there is one thing they need to be sure about: we will not leave the camp, we won't repeat what happened in 1948." Said an elderly notable at the Balata, known as Sheikh Ibrahim.

"We will not allow transfer (the word Israelis use for the contemplated and much-talked about expulsion of Palestinians) to begin from our camp," added the 75-year-old Mukhtar.

For its part, the Palestinian Authority appealed to the international community and the cosponsors of the peace process to intervene to stop Israeli massacres.

PA official Ahmed Abdul Rahman said the Israeli rampage in Nalbus and Jenin was meant to destroy the peace process.

Mid-East Realities

www.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2002/2/668.htm