WRAP Israeli troops raid Nablus in search of militants, Jenin funeral; clashes

Описание: (28 Feb 2007)
Nablus, West Bank - 28 February, 2007
1. Israeli army jeeps entering Nablus city
2. Soldiers in jeep announcing curfew over a loud speaker
3. Man escorting an old man into house
4. Various of soldiers patrolling the streets on foot and by vehicle
5. Group of Israeli soldiers surrounding blindfolded Palestinian
6. Soldiers on deserted street
Nablus, West Bank - 28 February, 2007
7. Wide military vehicle firing tear gas and rubber bullets towards building AUDIO explosion
8. Israeli soldiers standing next to military vehicle throwing tear gas and rubber bullets AUDIO explosion
9. Various of Israeli soldiers approaching and talking to civilians on street
10. Various of arrested Palestinians handcuffed, standing against a wall
11. Various of Israeli soldiers arresting a group of blindfolded Palestinian's
12. Various of Palestinian women surrounded by Israeli soldiers
13. Israeli soldiers talking to civilian on stairs
14. Wide of street scene, soldiers in background
Jenin, West Bank - 28 February, 2007
15. Various of people carrying bodies during funeral procession, chanting
STORYLINE
Dozens of Israeli military jeeps raided the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday and imposed a curfew on thousands of Palestinians, as the Israeli army said its mission to track down militants in the city would continue.
Gunfire and explosions echoed through Nablus neighbourhood's on Wednesday morning when Israeli troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets as they clashed with suspected militants.
The army said five suspects were arrested during house to house searches for militants, in what was the largest raid in the West Bank for months.
Witnesses said troops who had withdrawn on Tuesday were back at dawn on Wednesday.
Schools and a university in the area announced the cancellation of studies on Wednesday and more than 50,000 residents were confined to their homes due to the curfew.
The Israeli army has said the operation was necessary in the city because it was purportedly known for its militant activity and most of the suicide bombers trying to enter Israel from the West Bank allegedly came from Nablus.
Israel has frequently used such operations to crush militant activity and thwart suicide bombings.
Meanwhile in the West Bank town of Jenin on Wednesday, a funeral was held for three militants from the Islamic Jihad militant group - shot dead by the Israeli Army.
Witnesses said undercover Israeli troops shot from a black car, at another vehicle in which the three militants were sitting.
Two of the militants were killed instantly and the third - named as Ashraf Saadi, a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad, was shot dead as he exited the car, witnesses said.
The Israeli army confirmed its troops killed the men saying the militants had planned a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that was thwarted last week.
But the Israeli army disputed witness accounts and maintained they had tried to arrest Saadi in a hospital parking lot before he opened fire on them.
According to the Israeli military, Saadi and the other two militants were killed when troops returned fire.

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