Israel kills 10 in Gaza before pullout vote

GAZA – Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians in a swoop on a Gaza refugee camp yesterday as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sought parliamentary approval for his plan to withdraw from the occupied territory.

Eight Palestinians were killed in overnight Israeli air strikes on Khan Younis refugee camp and soldiers shot dead two more, including an 11-year-old boy, in crowds of stone-throwing youths confronting a raid by tanks and infantry. The overnight raid, in which 33 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were also wounded, followed a spate of mortar fire from Khan Younis on nearby Jewish settlements.The violence came hours before parliament was set to start debating Sharon’s plan to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of the 120 in the West Bank.If implemented, it would be Israel’s first removal of settlements from territories occupied in the 1967 Middle East war where Palestinians want to establish a future state.Polls show most Israelis back Sharon’s plan and it is likely to pass with 67 of the 120 votes in the Knesset when it comes up for ratification today – but only with support of left-wing opposition deputies.- Nampa-ReutersThe overnight raid, in which 33 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were also wounded, followed a spate of mortar fire from Khan Younis on nearby Jewish settlements.The violence came hours before parliament was set to start debating Sharon’s plan to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of the 120 in the West Bank.If implemented, it would be Israel’s first removal of settlements from territories occupied in the 1967 Middle East war where Palestinians want to establish a future state.Polls show most Israelis back Sharon’s plan and it is likely to pass with 67 of the 120 votes in the Knesset when it comes up for ratification today – but only with support of left-wing opposition deputies.- Nampa-Reuters