Palestinians Reportedly Kill 2 Arabs, Hurt 1 in Occupied Areas

Palestinian activists in the Israeli-occupied territories killed two Arabs and seriously beat another one Friday, the Israeli army and hospital staff members said.

Palestinians said activists of the Unified National Leadership for the Uprising in the Occupied Territories knifed Harb Auda Aiysa, 41, during prayers in a mosque at a Gaza Strip refugee camp.

The sources said Aiysa was active in the Islamic fundamentalist movement Hamas, which has challenged the uprising leadership in Gaza during the 22-month-old revolt.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, an Arab suspected of working with Israel was found stabbed to death in the old marketplace, the army said. Local residents said masked activists kidnaped Tahir Abu Saleh, 24, on Thursday, stabbed him and left his body in a peddler’s cart.

Palestinians severely beat Zidan Mohammed Nejem, 39, in Gaza’s Nusseirat refugee camp, hospital staffers said. Residents said Nejem was a suspected collaborator.

Last week, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, called on activists not to kill suspected traitors without orders from the highest authorities. About 130 Palestinians have been killed by other Arabs during the uprising.

Also on Friday, soldiers clashed with Palestinians waiting to visit inmates at a Gaza detention center, military sources said.

“After a soldier was attacked, the visitors were sent home and the visits were stopped,” the source said.

Palestinians said two women who tried to stop troops from arresting a youth during the confrontation were shot and wounded.

Local hospitals reported three other injuries in Gaza, including a 17-year-old who Israel Radio said was shot when he tried to grab an Israeli soldier’s rifle.