Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue in Gaza, West Bank

WEB EXCLUSIVE On the scene with Ben Wedeman from his hospital bed On the scene with Fionnuala Sweeney in Jerusalem

Three Palestinians killed, CNN correspondent wounded in Gaza violence

In this story: Israeli helicopters strike Palestinian targets Israeli-U.S. talks Barak says peace still possible RELATED STORIES, SITES

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- In another day of violence in the Middle East, four Palestinians were killed in a clash with Israeli troops at a border crossing near here. Another Palestinian was killed in a clash in Ramallah.

This comes a day before Israel's acting foreign minister was to travel to Washington for talks with U.S. officials on how to repair the tattered Mideast peace process.

ALSO CNN Correspondent Ben Wedeman wounded in Gaza     AUDIO After Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak addressed the Knesset he spoke with CNN's Jerrold Kessel (October 30) 2M/160 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Israeli Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh comments on Israel's defense tactics (October 30) 1.5M/90 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat reacts to Barak's speech at the Knesset on Monday (October 30) 2.1M/90 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO Israelis and Palestinians are determined not to give in to force, reports CNN's Jerrold Kessel (October 31) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports on Ehud Barak's failure to form a coalition in order to keep his party in afloat (October 30) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Barak's speech to the Knesset (October 30) (part 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Barak's speech to the Knesset (October 30) (part 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN interviews Erakat immediately after Barak's speech (October 30) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Sharon spoke to the Knesset after Barak (October 30) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace     RESOURCES Ariel Sharon: Peacemaker or peace breaker? Mideast struggle for peace Key Players

Hospital officials said at least 49 people, including a CNN correspondent, had been injured in fighting in the West Bank and Gaza.

So far, in more than a month of violence, at least 166 people have been killed, according to the International Red Cross -- 141 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs, and 12 Israeli Jews.

The Israeli Defense Force said its troops responded with tank rounds and automatic weapons fire when its outpost was fired on. The IDF said the attackers used anti-tank weapons for the first time.

The CNN crew, which arrived at the scene, said the preponderance of fire came from the Israeli side as Palestinian militiamen and security forces took cover.

CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman was hit in the side by a bullet during the clash. He remained alert and was taken to Shifa Hospital with what doctors described as a non-life-threatening injury.

The clash took place at the Karni border crossing -- where Israeli trucks transfer goods to Palestinian trucks headed for Gaza City -- has become a flashpoint in recent days. Israel had moved tanks near the location and fired shells at the Palestinians during the latest clash, CNN producers reported.

There were also clashes Tuesday between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank towns of Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem.

Israeli helicopters strike Palestinian targets

The latest clashes followed overnight Israeli helicopter gunship attacks on Fatah party offices in Ramallah, Nablus and Gaza. The Ramallah attack left five people injured.

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat visited the targeted Fatah offices, condemning the attacks and vowing that they would not deter Palestinians from their efforts to form an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

A senior Israeli commander in Gaza, Shlomo Dagan, said the helicopter strikes were a direct response to rising guerrilla warfare by some Palestinians, specifically the killings of two Israelis on Monday.

Ephraim Sneh, Israel's deputy defense minister, agreed.

"Since the Palestinians are beginning to wage something that approximates a guerrilla war, our helicopter attack was a signal that if there is (a guerrilla war), we have the answer to it," Sneh said on Tuesday.

Israeli-U.S. talks

Acting Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami plans to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the continuing violence and prospects for resuming peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher renewed an offer from U.S. President Bill Clinton to host separate meetings with Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

Barak says peace still possible

For his part, Barak continued to hold out the possibility of peace if Palestinians stop their demonstrations.

During a speech Monday at the opening session of Israel's parliament, Barak said Israel currently did not have a peace partner in the Palestinians and that the window to peace was closing.

Barak said that if the Palestinians "stopped the violence" and a U.S.-led commission of inquiry into the clashes "goes to work," he would be willing to return to the United States for more peace talks.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said he was "disappointed" by Barak's speech and blamed Israel for the continued violence.

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October 28, 2000
Ramallah clash erupts into gun battle
October 27, 2000
Militant group claims responsibility for Gaza suicide bombing
October 26, 2000
Clinton invites Arafat to Washington
October 24, 2000
Barak and Sharon at odds on coalition government
October 23, 2000
More Middle East killings as Arab nations confer on crisis
October 21, 2000

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