Yesterday, Thursday, 18 October 2001, Israeli occupying forces assassinated three Palestinians in the city of Bethlehem. Mr. Ataf Ebeyat, Mr. Jamal Nawara and Mr. Issa Ebeyat were killed instantly when their car exploded. Mr. Dore Gold, a spokesman for the Israeli government, said that Israel does not deny nor confirm its responsibility of these assassinations. Also, yesterday, Israeli tanks entered and shelled the Palestinian city of El-Bireh, killing two Palestinian policemen, as well as killing a 10-year-old girl in the city of Jenin. In addition to these brutal killings, the shelling also caused a large number of Palestinian injuries, many of them critical.

Today, Israeli occupying forces dispatched approximately 30 tanks and armored personnel carriers into the neighboring cities of Bethlehem and Beit Jala, seizing several building, including two hotels. This Israeli action resulted in the killing of one Palestinian in addition to the killing of a Palestinian near the village Al-Khader. Also today, Israeli occupying forces shot and killed a Palestinian in Gaza as he threw stones at Israeli soldiers. Further, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was killed while playing with a shell fired earlier by the Israeli occupying forces.

Israel claims that the above actions, along with several hostile and belligerent statements, came in response to the assassination of an Israeli minister, Mr. Rehavam Zeevi. The Palestinian Authority condemned the assassination as a matter of principle, irrespective of the fact that Mr.Zeevi was an extremist and a racist person. The Authority also indicated that it would take the necessary measures against the perpetuators. In contrast, Israel, the occupying Power, institutionalized the Israeli policy of assassination of Palestinians, thus making the commission of such war crimes and State terrorism the responsibility of the government. It is worth noting that prior to the assassination of Mr. Zeevi, Israeli occupying forces assassinated three Palestinians in three consecutive days. It is also worth noting that Israeli occupying forces assassinated the leader of the Palestinian group that claimed responsibility

The Israeli government previously displayed an unwillingness to respond positively to efforts aimed at reaching an effective cease-fire and implementing Mitchell recommendations. It seems as if the Israeli government wants to use the assassination of Mr. Zeevi to justify its sweeping and escalated military actions against the Palestinian people and against the Palestinian Authority.

It appears that one of the aims of the Israeli government is to suppress the positive developments on an international front with regard to support of a Palestinian state. It also appears to aim to try to deviate the coalition against international terrorism, only to serve as an illegitimate agenda at the expense of the success of the mission before the international community.

I am writing this letter in follow-up to our previous 73 letters addressed to you regarding this grave and ongoing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 16 October 2001 (A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39- S/2000/1015;A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES-10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45- S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47- S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154; A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51-S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1206; A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33; A/ES-10/56-S/2001/50; A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131; A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156; A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175; A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209; A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226; A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255;A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284; A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314; A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372; A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447; A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479; A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504; A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508; A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586; A/ES-10/91-S/2001/605; A/ES-10/92-S/2001/629; A/ES-10/93-S/2001/657; A/ES-10/94-S/2001/669; A/ES-10/95-S/2001/686; A/ES-10/96-S/2001/697; A/ES-10/97-S/2001/708; A/ES-10/98-S/2001/717; A/ES-10/99-S/2001/742; A/ES-10/100-S/2001/754; A/ES10/101S/2001/783; A/ES-10/102-S/2001/785; A/ES-10/103-S/2001/798; A/ES10/104;S/2001/812; A/ES-10/105-S/2001/814; A/ES-10/107-S/2001/821;A/ES-10/108-S/2001/826; A/ES-10/111-S/2001/880; A/ES-10/112-S/2001/918; A/ES-10/114-S/2001/928; A/ES-10/115-S/2001/932; A/ES-10/116-S-2001/941 and A/ES-10/.) Since our last letter to you on 16 October 2001, Israeli occupying forces have brutally killed nine more Palestinians, including the martyrs mentioned above, bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs to 691. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.) In addition, the number of Palestinians injured by the fire and action of the Israeli occupying forces continue to rise.

1. Ataf Ebeyat

2. Jamal Nawawra

3. Issa Ebeyat

4. Marwan Sabri Khalifa

5. Mohammed Ziad Abu Ras

6. Reham Ibrahim Ward (12 year old)

1. Abdel Khader Abu Srur

2. Mariam Sbeh

3. Jaudat Abdelhadi Hammad

*Total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 = 691