Home | China | World | Business Palestinian Speaker Attacked by Israeli Soldiers MON, FEB 25, 2002     Israeli troops Sunday evening opened fire at the convoy of Palestinian Legislative Council (Parliament) Speaker Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala) at a checkpoint near Qalandya refugee camp north of Jerusalem, Palestinian officials said. Qurei was leaving the West Bank town of Ramallah and heading to his Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dees when the shooting incident happened, said the officials. Palestinian security sources said that as Qurei's convoy reached the Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli troops opened fire at the three cars, causing damages to Abu Ala's armoured vehicle, but no one was hurt, neither Abu Ala nor his bodyguards or drivers. Meanwhile, Israeli radio Arabic service reported that Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres had telephoned Abu Ala and apologized to him for what happened. Abu Ala met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, according to his bodyguards, adding that before Abu Ala decided to leave Ramallah, the Israeli side was notified about Abu Ala's planned movement. Since the Israeli army blockaded most of the Palestinian towns and cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) usually coordinates with the Israeli side about the travel of PNA officials, especially when they would crossthe Israeli military checkpoints. Palestinian security sources said that as soon as the convoy reached the checkpoint, Israeli troops rained the convoy with gunfire. Editor:Zhong Source:Xinhua Recommend to your friend email:    China Central Television,All Rights Reserved