The Israeli army forces supported by helicopters, tanks, army personnel carriers and infantry entered onSaturday night the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Palestinian officials and residents said.
Brig. Mohamed Al Madani, governor of Bethlehem, told reporters that the Israeli army reoccupied the towns of Bet Jalla and Beit Sahour as well as the neighborhood of Al Duha until they reached the center of Bethlehem.
There are no reasons for the incursion, said Al Madani. "I don't know what Israel wants from the Palestinian people."
The residents said the Israeli troops are searching into the town and its neighborhoods and have lists of names of wanted Palestinians. They use loudspeakers and call for the wanted to comeout of their houses in the town.
They said that dozens of Israeli troops supported by tanks surrounded the house of a member of the Islamic Jihad (holy war) and urged its inhabitants to leave the house.
"It seems that the Israeli government does have one plan, that is to continue its military escalation against the Palestinian people," Al Madani said. "Entering into the town is a real violation of all the signed agreements."
It is Israel's first raid into Bethlehem since a 39-day standoff between Palestinian militants and Israeli troops in the Church of the Nativity was over two weeks ago after both sides agreed to exile 13 militants to several European countries and 26 militants to the Gaza Strip.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2002)
