Israeli-Palestinian clashes intensify sharply after a Palestinian sniper fires on a group of Jewish settlers in Hebron, killing a 10-mo.-old girl, wounding her father, brother. In retaliation, Jewish settlers fire guns, the IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on the residential area of Abu Sunayna, where the sniper fire originated, injuring 7 Palestinians. The IDF tells Palestinian residents to evacuate Abu Sunayna or risk a heavy attack. Shooting fr. the Jewish settlement continues, and the IDF clashes with settlers who attempt to occupy Abu Sunayna, but no major attack occurs, few Palestinians leave. The IDF shoots dead 1 Palestinian in a separate incident; directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Jericho, Gaza. Israeli sappers disarm a bomb in Petah Tikva, inside Israel. (HP 3/26; MM, NYT, WP 3/27; NYT 3/28; MEI 4/6; JP 4/13)
After 2 wks. of marathon negotiations, the Palestinians drop their call for a UN observer force in the West Bank, Gaza--opposed by the U.S.--in favor of a compromise proposal by the EU and nonaligned mbrs. calling for a "mechanism" to protect Palestinians. (WP 3/27; XIN 3/27 in WNC 3/28)