Israeli helicopters this afternoon launched perfunctory attacks on Palestinian security positions in Ramallah, adjacent el-Bireh, and Jericho. The facilities had been evacuated following the terrorist attacks earlier in the day, and there were no serious injuries reported in any of the attacks. had

IDF tanks fired shells at Palestinian positions near Nablus. No injuries were reported. There were also reports of helicopters attacking positions in Jenin with air-to-surface missiles. No injuries were reported there, either.

The Israeli Cabinet met for several hours, devoting much of its time to dicussion of the creation of a limited buffer zone, but decided not to authorize additional retaliatory actions that would be perceived as a military escalation.

In Jerusalem early Sunday afternoon, the Israeli police briefly detained PA Minister Ziad Abu Ziad for questioning. The reason given for the arrest was that Abu Ziad, who holds the Jerusalem portfolio in the PA, was in East Jerusalem without the required permit. He was released after questioning at a roadblock outside Jerusalem, and has been banned from entering the city.

Sources close to Public Security Minister Uzi Landau said that the arrest of Abu Ziad was not the result of a specific order but rather part of a general policy of arresting Palestinians in Israel without a permit.

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