October 15, 2003	Wednesday	Sha'aban 18, 1424

TEL AVIV, Oct 14: Palestinians accused Israel of breaching international law after it decided Tuesday to expel 15 prisoners from the West Bank to Gaza, as Israeli tanks and troops moved back into the Rafah refugee camp, days after a similar operation brought heavy criticism from the UN.

General Moshe Kaplinsky, the commander of the central region, which includes the West Bank, signed the expulsion order for “15 administrative detainees implicated in terrorist activities”.

“This measure has been taken in order to reduce the number of anti-Israeli attacks which have recently taken place,” a military source added.

The eight members of Hamas and five followers of Islamic Jihad would initially be transferred to an Israeli detention centre in Gaza and would then released.

The militants, who all hail from the West Bank, would not be allowed to leave Gaza for the next two years.

Administrative detainees are prisoners kept in custody who have not been convicted of any offence.

“These expulsion measures are being taken against Palestinians who cannot be brought to justice without revealing sources of intelligence which led to their arrest,” one source added.

If carried through, it will be the largest number of Palestinians to be expelled from the West Bank since May 2002, when 26 were transferred to Gaza at the end of a siege at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Those affected would have two days to launch an initial appeal before a military judge and could appeal to the Supreme Court if rejected.

Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei said the decision demonstrated Israel’s determination to undermine the peace process.

“Israel is committing flagrant acts of aggression to sabotage peace efforts,” Qorei told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah when questioned about the decision.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat also denounced the decision as “a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention”.

But an Israeli source said the principle of expulsions had been approved by the Supreme Court last September.

Meanwhile, in Rafah in southern Gaza, a force of about 40 tanks covered by helicopter gunships launched a new operation. Israel said it was aimed at demolishing tunnels used to smuggle arms from across the border with Egypt, witnesses and Palestinian security sources said.

Medical officials said at least four Palestinians have been injured in the operation, which comes barely 48 hours after the army wrapped up another raid that left eight people dead and scores injured.

Israeli sources confirmed a new operation had been launched on Rafah’s refugee camp — the focus of the weekend raid — and surrounding areas.

They gave no details about the size of the force involved but said no tunnels had so far been uncovered.

Dr. Ali Mussa, head of Rafah hospital, told AFP a 12-year-old boy was among the injured and in serious condition after being struck by shrapnel from a tank shell.

Locals said three houses had been destroyed in the latest raid.

Army helicopters could be seen swooping overhead and opening fire on a number of occasions. Israeli soldiers armed with machine guns could be seen taking up positions in tall buildings.

An Israeli source said soldiers had come under grenade attack and heavy gunfire. At least two Palestinian gunmen were known to have been hit after opening fire at the Israelis but there were no reports of troop casualties, he added.

Resistance appeared to be on smaller scale than previously. “It may be that they are running out of explosives,” said the source.—AFP