Fugitives Under Fire in Hebron

Israeli helicopters fired missiles Thursday at wanted men holed up in a Palestinian Authority compound in the West Bank city of Hebron, as Palestinian officials fumed over threats from President Bush to deny future aid.

The United States provides no direct funding to the Palestinian Authority, but it has funneled millions of dollars in aid to humanitarian and development projects.

“Delaying aid from the international community would also delay the reforms that we already have started within most of our organizations and sectors,” West Bank security chief Jibril Rajoub said.

Smoke rose Thursday from the Hebron complex after the missile strike. Israeli forces had been targeting the building with machine-gun fire for three days and warned that they would overrun it if those inside refused to come out.

Israeli military officials have said 150 people inside the compound have surrendered, including at least 20 top fugitives. About 40 people, including at least 15 wanted men, remained inside, the officials said.

Israel also admitted that for the second time in a week, its forces had “acted improperly” in firing on Palestinians violating a curfew. Three children in the West Bank town of Kalkilya were wounded Thursday, including a boy who was in critical condition.

But much of the talk Thursday was angry reaction to Bush’s plan for bringing peace to the region, laid out Monday. It centered on a call for new Palestinian leaders “not compromised by terror.” Since then, Bush has also threatened to deny U.S. aid to the Palestinians.

“It’s enough for the Palestinians to face an [Israeli] army armed with all the American weapons,” said Palestinian Authority Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman.

On Thursday, Italy joined the call for new Palestinian leadership. “Many people are convinced that Arafat ... should make a generous gesture and move aside,” Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said at the G-8 summit in Canada.

In Khartoum, Sudan, meanwhile, representatives of 57 Muslim nations pledged support for Palestinians in a resolution that made no mention of Bush’s call for new leadership. The resolution was adopted at the end of a three-day meeting of foreign ministers and senior officials.