Tuesday, January 23, 2001

Israel recalls negotiators fr. Taba, suspends all contacts with the PA after masked Palestinian gunmen kidnap, murder 2 Israeli civilians in Tulkarm; an Israeli Arab colleague is released. Hamas's military wing Izzeddine al-Qassam Brigades takes responsibility, but the Hamas political wing denies it. The PA condemns the murder, saying no civilians, Israeli or Palestinian, should be targeted. In addition to the Tulkarm incident, Jewish settlers blockade the Attara-Birzeit road, attack Palestinian cars. (MENA 1/23 in WNC 1/24; HJ 1/23, MENA 1/24 in WNC 1/26; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/24; IsRN, NYT, WP 1/25 al-Quds 1/25 in WNC 1/26; SA 1/25 in WNC 1/29; NYT 1/26; AYM 1/26 in WNC 1/29; SA 2/1 in WNC 2/5; ADM 2/5)