Israel Soldiers Cite Ax Attack; One Arab Slain

Israeli soldiers Friday shot and killed a Palestinian and wounded a second who attacked an army patrol with axes and chains in a Gaza Strip refugee camp, the army said.

With the Palestinian uprising in its ninth month, a poll published Friday in the Jerusalem Post showed that almost half of Israeli Jews interviewed favor forcing Arabs to leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip to safeguard the democratic and Jewish nature of Israeli society.

Throughout the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, the army and police were on alert for increased violence with the approach of the Muslim New Year holiday, which begins Sunday. Only isolated incidents were reported Friday.

The Unified National Leadership for the Uprising in the Occupied Territories, the main organization of Muslim activists in the territories, distributed leaflets calling for violent demonstrations.

In the Maghazi refugee camp in Gaza, several Palestinians armed with axes, clubs and chains attacked an army patrol shortly after midnight, an army spokesman said.

Soldiers Open Fire

The soldiers opened fire, killing Riad Suleiman Mandil, 23, and wounding a second man, the spokesman said. Mandil had attacked soldiers in previous demonstrations, the spokesman said. A third man who allegedly participated in Friday’s attack was arrested.

Palestinian sources said soldiers clashed with residents of the Maghazi refugee camp later in the day after Friday prayers. At least one Palestinian was shot in the leg, the sources said.

Of the 1,200 Israeli Jews interviewed in the poll for the Jerusalem Post, 49% replied that Israel should “cause Arabs to leave” to preserve Israel’s democratic character, while 21% said they should be given more rights.

The poll said 28% believe the territories should be given up to preserve the nation’s democratic character, the Post reported.

To maintain its Jewish character, 48% said the Arabs should be forced to leave and 17% said they should have their rights denied.