GAZA CITY (AFP) - Twelve Palestinians, including a child, were killed in a major army operation in the Gaza Strip as the Israeli parliament prepared to debate a controversial plan to pull out from the territory it has occupied for almost 40 years.
In the latest flare-up in Gaza, four Palestinians, one of them an eight-year-old child, were gunned down in the southern city of Khan Yunis, medical sources said.
Earlier, another eight Palestinians were killed, including civilians, in a series of raids on the area. Most died when the army fired at least four air-to-ground missiles at the area, one of which hit a national security service position, security officials said.
Palestinian medics said some 50 people had been injured since fighting broke out, while Israeli military sources reported that two soldiers were lightly injured during the operation.
A spokesman for the Israeli army said the four airstrikes targetted several groups of armed Palestinians who were either approaching the troops or preparing explosives to use against them.
The spokesman said "military activity" was heightened in the area after Palestinians had fired dozens of mortar rounds against Jewish settlements in recent days.
Their deaths raised to 4,526 the number of people killed since the second intifada began in September 2000, including 3,496 Palestinians and 956 Israelis.
The latest flare-up came just hours after the Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved a compensation package for settlers to be evacuated from their homes as part of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon`s Gaza withdrawal plan.
The legislation was approved by 13 votes to six, giving Sharon a major boost ahead of a parliament debate Monday on his so-called disengagement plan which has been fiercely contested by settlers and members of his own right-wing Likud party.
Parliament is due to vote Tuesday on the plan, which will see the evacuation of all 8,000 Jewish residents of the Gaza Strip as well as several hundred settlers from four enclaves in the northern West Bank by the end of 2005.
With MPs set to begin debating the plan on Monday, security was dramatically heightened around the Knesset building (parliament) in Jerusalem over fears of an attack by extremists opposed to the controversial project.
As tensions heightened ahead of the crunch debate, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appealed for members of Sharon`s right-wing Likud party to put aside their differences over the proposals and give unequivocal backing to the premier.
"I appeal to members of Likud to come together as one behind the head of the government to approve the plan to pull out of Gaza which is supported by a majority of Israelis, a majority in the Knesset and a majority within the Likud," Olmert told public radio.
"This plan can bring hope to the people of Israel and Mr Sharon is concerned above all else today with unifying Likud in order to apply this decision: leave Gaza," he added.
Likud, Israel`s main right-wing party, has been riven by divisions over the disengagement plan, despite the fact that the Gaza withdrawal will also see the Jewish state strengthening its hold over much larger settlement blocs in the West Bank.
More than a dozen Likud MPs are expected to vote against the plan on Tuesday evening at the end of the two-day debate, with commentators predicting that the party could then fracture.
However, Sharon is virtually assured of victory in Tuesday`s vote, thanks in large part to a decision by the left-wing opposition Labour and Yahad parties to support the premier`s proposals.
The bill approved Sunday will empower the government to issue evacuation orders to the settlers, while allowing for anyone who tries to stay in Gaza or to block the pullout to be jailed for up to three years.
It also lays down compensation terms as agreed by Sharon`s inner cabinet on September 14, which will see families receiving between 200,000 to 300,000 dollars.
Sharon has warned he will sack any member of his government if they vote against the plan on Tuesday.
If large numbers of Likud MPs vote against the project rather than abstain, it will raise the real prospect of a break-up of the party.
Although Sharon is likely to win Tuesday`s vote, there are concerns that he might not be able to muster a majority to pass the 2005 budget to be debated next week, which would effectively bring down the government.
10/25/2004 - 10:11 GMT - AFP