Israeli forces kill 5 Palestinian gunmen
Israeli commandos killed five Palestinian gunmen in a fierce firefight in this northernmost city of the occupied territories yesterday, Israeli military officials said. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, meanwhile, said it was premature to talk about a specific date for him to meet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel, despite Israeli reports that such a summit was scheduled for next week. And Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat lionized as a hero the mastermind of the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking that included the brutal killing of an elderly American Jew who uses a wheelchair. The clash in Jenin occurred when an Israeli force that slipped into the city undercover stopped a car containing five men who pointed automatic weapons at the Israelis, according to military officials. They said the Israelis fired, drawing return fire from the Palestinians. Full Story