Sgt. David Gordokel, 21, of Bat Yam was killed and one other IDF soldier injured as IDF forces launched an incursion into the southern outskirts of Ramallah overnight in response to a fatal drive-by shooting attack on a major Jerusalem thoroughfare. Tanks and infantry troops came under heavy Palestinian light arms fire as they advanced under the cover of IAF Apache helicopters. Israeli forces withdrew from Ramallah at 6 a.m. this morning.

IDF forces launched an incursion into the southern outskirts of Ramallah overnight in response to a fatal drive-by shooting attack on a major Jerusalem thoroughfare. Tanks and infantry troops came under heavy Palestinian light arms fire as they advanced under the cover of IAF Apache helicopters. There were no reports of injuries sustained by Israeli forces, which withdrew from Ramallah this morning at 6 a.m.

The IDF action came following a shooting attack late last night on the highway connecting the neighborhood of Ramot with the French Hill junction in northern Jerusalem. Meir Weissholz and Moshe Weiss, two Kashrut inspectors, were traveling on the road when shots were fired at them from a passing car. Weissholz, 23, was hit in the chest and died of his wounds shortly afterwards at Hadassah Hospital. Weiss was moderately wounded.

Police believe the attackers managed to escape to the nearby city of Ramallah. According to an Army Radio report, the gunmen made sure that the occupants of the car were Jewish before they opened fire.

The Ramot-French Hill thoroughfare, also known as Highway No. 9, services thousands of vehicles every day and was considered relatively safe from Palestinian violence. Previous shooting attacks have occurred at the French Hill junction at the road's eastern edge. Last month Israeli police forces uncovered and apprehended members of a terrorist cell who were allegedly planning to launch a series of shooting attacks in northern Jerusalem.

The al-Aksa Martyrs Group faction of the Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack.

IDF forces move into Ramallah
According to the IDF Spokesman, the IDF incursion into the southern outskirts of Ramallah "followed the difficult shooting attack yesterday near the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem." The Spokesman reported that "during the activities fire exchanges opened between IDF forces and Palestinians. Following the cross fire the IDF struck Palestinian posts using ground forces and IAF helicopters and made a few arrests."

The IDF reportedly advanced on Ramallah from four directions, tightening the closure on the city. Palestinian sources said the IDF actions lasted four hours, during which heavy gunfire exchanges took place between the two sides. Palestinian eyewitnesses reported that IDF helicopters fired a number of missiles at buildings belonging to Arafat's presidential guard unit Force 17, including the force's headquarters in the city. Palestinian security forces reportedly fired at the helicopters. Palestinian security officer Ali Khader Jaber, 26, was killed in the clashes and a dozen Palestinians were reportedly wounded.

Palestinians reported that a number of IDF tanks penetrated the city as far as the Palestinian Legislative Council building. Israel Radio quoted Palestinian sources as saying the IDF had attempted to reach the Palestinian TV and radio broadcasting studios, but failed. IDF sources denied that an attempt had been made to attack the radio or TV buildings.

A Palestinian security source told ynet today that the Palestinians had torpedoed the IDF invasion plan on all fronts in Ramallah. The source added that Palestinians from all factions and from the Palestinian security forces under the command of West Bank Preventive Security Service chief Jibril Rajoub, which had previously refrained from taking part in the conflict, had united in defense of the city. "We received specific instructions from Gaza to teach the Israelis a lesson," the source said. "If the Israelis respond to their defeat and want to return to the city, they are invited to the graveyard that awaits them," he added.

Israeli security forces arrested several Palestinians during the operation, but no information was immediately available regarding their identities. A senior IDF officer told Army Radio this morning, "The operation was initiated to allow us to make a number of arrests within Palestinian territory and these were completed successfully."

Following the operation, IDF forces remain entrenched around Ramallah as well as around the West Bank cities of Jenin and Jericho after operations there last week. IDF sources admitted openly that Israeli military actions in the past few days have been launched with relatively little restraint due to the fact that international media attention is focused entirely on the recent terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent investigation and preparations for a global coalition in a war against terrorism.

Shells fired at Beit Sahour following gunfire at Har Homa
IDF forces shelled Palestinian positions overnight in Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem, after Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an IDF post near Har Homa in southern Jerusalem.

According to Palestinian sources, Yahia Sabayha, 21, a Palestinian Authority civil defense medic from Gaza, was killed in the shelling when the ambulance he was driving was hit.

Army Radio reported this morning that gunfire clashes between Palestinians and IDF forces in the Ramallah and nearby El-Bireh areas are ongoing. Palestinians opened fire today on an Israeli bus and IDF forces near the Samaria community of Beit El. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the attack.

In addition, three members of an Israeli family were lightly injured this morning when a roadside explosive device detonated near their car as they approached the Dir Saraf junction, near the Samaria community of Shavei Shomron.

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