JERUSALEM. Oct 9: Palestinians and Israelis exchanged gunfire today, hours before the deadline was up on Israel's ultimatum to the Palestinians to end tiie violence, or face "forceful" action. World leaders stepped up their efforts to stem the crisis, reports AP.
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright still held out the possibility of a leadership summit, and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov were due to arrive this evening to confer with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Arafat, returning from a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, said he would limit his talks with Annan to Palestinian demands for an International inquiry of the events of the past 12 days that have left 88 people dead, most of them Palestinians.
The UN Security Council has called for an "objective inquiry." but stopped short of his demand for an international commission. Israel has rejected both calls.
Israeli officials were unavail-
able for comment, observing Yom Kippur. the Day of Antonement. until this evening. Aller that, Barak was set to meet with Annan and Ivanov, as well as with his Cabinet, to assess Arafat s compliance with the ultimatum he had Issued Saturday night.
Annan and Ivanov w’ere also due to visit Gaza Annan later tonight, Ivanov on Tuesday. The visits w’ere expected to have a calming influence, with Israelis and Palestinians perhaps interested in avoiding an escalation as long as Annan and Ivanov are in the region.
US President Bill Clinton Is also considering travelling to the Middle East this week for a summit with Israeli. Palestinian and Egyptian leaders, a US official said In Washington.
Barak. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Clinton would attend the summit, hosted by the Egyptians In the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, accord ing to C N N.
Russia, long considered an ally of Arab countries, stepped onto the tense Middle ELast scene today, with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov calling on Syria for an end to the current violence.
Ivanov, who met today with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad before heading to Lebanon. Israel and the Palestinian territories, also gave likely satisfaction to Damascus by insisting that Israel work to resolve Its dispute not only with) the Palestinians but with Syria.
It Is necessary', before all else, to stop the violence against the Palestinians. It Is not allowed for them (Israel) to kill Innocent civilians," Ivanov' said after a meeting with Assad and Foreign Minister Faruq Al-Shara.
Faruq al-Shara said that Damascus did not want war, but warned Israel that It would be the loser if It launched an attack.
Assad also discussed the situation with French President Jacques Chirac and British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.
The international moves followed an eruption of cross-border fighting and the abduction on Saturday by Shi’ite Muslim Hezbollah guerillas of three Israeli soldiers.
Barak has warned that Israel will hold Syria responsible for the well-being of the three Israelis, while Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said Syria will be "the address of our response" if border violence persisted.
Despite Barak's ultimatum, the Palestinians and the Syrians who effectively control Lebanon were in defiant mood.
The Israeli threats do not
scare us. Israeli is the one responsible for the ongoing escalation." Arafat's top aide Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP in Gaza.
The Islamic Resistance Movement. Hamas, threatened today to resume terrorist activities in Israel In an escalaUon of the Intifada (Uprising).
Overnight. Jerusalem, Nazareth and Hebron were the bloody scenes of stone-throwing violence and deadly gunfire exchanges. An Israeli Arab man died from a bullet wound to the chest late Sunday during clashes between Jewish and Arab youths in Jesus’ boyhood town.
Seven others were in serious or critical condition from bullet w’ounds and another 40 Arab men. most in their early 20s. were treated for exposure to tear gas.
Israeli police spokesman Ran Ofir said his troops used tear gas only to separate the sides and did not open fire. The regional police commissioner ordered an investigation into the shooting while Arab leaders In Nazareth called for a general strike Monday accompanied by three days of mourning.
A Palestinian man was found in the village of Azoun near Nablus this morning, dead from a bullet wound to the head. Palestinian officials said. They said he had taken part in clashes with Israeli troops at midnight. Another Palestinian man was found dead on a road near the West Bank town of Ramallah. Hospital officials said he had been beaten to death.
The death total in 11 days of violence was 86.