Southern Jerusalem evacuated as
                       gun battles rage

                          SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
        Wednesday, November 1, 2000

        JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities have evacuated the southern portion of
        Jerusalem amid pitched gun battles with Palestinian Authority gunmen.

        Israeli police have ordered residents and motorists off the streets of the Gilo
        neighborhood, the target of Palestinian gunfire on Wednesday evening. Roads
        were sealed and residents were ordered indoors or to other areas of the city,
        Middle East Newsline reported.

        Israeli and Palestinian forces fought gun battles for nearly three hours in the
        area. Israeli tanks fired at Palestinian positions in nearby Bet Jallah, where PA
        gunmen took cover in Christian homes.

        South of Jerusalem, Israeli and Palestinian forces battled in the Bethlehem
        area near the Jewish settlement of Efrat. 

        Three wounded Israeli soldiers were killed in the West Bank, the military said,
        after intense Palestinian gunfire prevented their evacuation. They were the first
        Israeli soldiers to die in combat since Oct. 1. 

        Israeli helicopters and tanks fired into the Bethlehem suburb of El Khader to
        evacuate the wounded soldiers. PA sources said seven homes in the village
        were damaged by Israeli fire.

        The Israeli security Cabinet meets in emergency session at 9:30 p.m.
        Wednesday [2:30 p.m. EST] amid a sharp disagreement among senior
        ministers over Israel's reaction. Government sources said most of the Cabinet
        has urged for restraint and a U.S. effort to renew peace talks. A handful of
        ministers are urging a strong Israeli response to end the Palestinian violence.