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July 4, 2001
Police hunting two terrorists in shepherd's slaying
MARGOT DUDKEVITCH
Israeli security officials believe at least two Palestinian terrorists were involved in the murder of Sussiya resident Yair Har-Sinai, 51, whose body was discovered by soldiers early yesterday morning in the wheat fields approximately a kilometer from the community. He had been shot in the head and chest and stabbed repeatedly.
The perpetrators' footprints led to the nearby PA- controlled village Samoa located west of Sussiya and east of Yatta. Later in the day Israeli security forces arrested a number of Palestinians in the area but are focusing the investigation on intelligence gathering.
Har-Sinai, the father of nine children, was the second Israeli to be murdered by terrorists in a matter of hours. Earlier Monday night a Palestinian gunman shot and killed Aharon Abidian, a 41-year-old father of four, as he shopped in the marketplace of Baka al-Garbiya just inside the Green Line. Abidian was buried in the local cemetery at Zichron Ya'acov later the same evening.
Har-Sinai, a shepherd, left his home close to 6 in the evening on Monday night to accompany his flock of sheep and goats as they grazed on his land close to Sussiya. 'At 9 the flock returned without him and our suspicions were raised,' Akiva London, a resident and family friend, told The Jerusalem Post.
Residents immediately notified the authorities and the IDF, police and residents launched a widespread search for Har-Sinai. Police received reports from their Palestinian counterparts that a body of an Israeli had been spotted, but no details were given of the location. Shortly after 3 yesterday morning the body was found by soldiers.
Two weeks ago Har-Sinai had written to OC Central Command Maj.Gen Yitzhak Eitan asking to prevent Beduin shepherds from using his land to graze their flocks. Yesterday morning the civil administration demolished five illegal structures in the village of Yatta not far from where Har-Sinai's body was found.
The Israeli Coalition Against House Demolitions issued a statement condemning the civil administration's steps and claimed that a total of 12 structures had been demolished in the southern Hebron Hills area.
A statement issued by the group said: 'Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is showing his true intentions by destroying living quarters, infrastructure, and assassinations.'
Meanwhile, the Voice of Palestine reported yesterday that overnight Israeli security forces arrested two officers of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service near an army roadblock in Samaria.The two were identified as Ahmed Abed al-Rahman el-Sheikh and Salah Barghouti. The two are suspected of terrorist activities in the area.
The condition of Har Bracha resident Avi Romano improved yesterday after he was shot late Monday night in the chest and arm as he drove towards the community. Violence continued on the West Bank. Last night a firebomb was thrown at a Dan bus near Marda east of Ariel, but no one was hurt. Earlier shots were fired at Psagot and firebombs were thrown at an Israeli vehicle near Hawara and at an IDF jeep near Mevo Dotan.
In the afternoon shots were fired at an Israeli vehicle driven by a female resident of the community of Kedar. Bullets penetrated the vehicle, but the woman was unscathed. Later scores of residents from the community demonstrated on the road leading to Ma'aleh Adumim over the recent shooting incidents in the area. A number of firebombs were also thrown throughout the day at soldiers deployed in Hebron.
In the Gaza area, Palestinians threw several grenades at soldiers deployed on the Israeli Egyptian border near Rafah.
In Memoriam
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