Friday April 13 10:39 AM ET
Islamic Jihad Bombers Say Ready to Attack Israel

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

JABALYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza (Reuters) - The Palestinian militant Islamic Jihad movement vowed on Friday to send suicide bombers on attack missions inside Israel.

In Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, about 40 masked men, shrouded in white sheets -- a symbol of Palestinian martydom -- renewed their vows as members of the Islamic Jihad's military wing, pledging to kill Israelis.

``We swear to God that the sons of the Jerusalem brigade will come at you like an earthquake,'' said the leader of the group.

``Every Zionist monkey is number one on our wanted list,'' he said as the contingent of self-declared suicide-bombers-in-waiting kissed a Koran and submachinegun at a rally attended by hundreds of Islamic Jihad supporters.

Islamic Jihad and the militant Hamas group oppose Israeli-Palestinian peace moves. Both have claimed responsibility for several bombing attacks that have killed or wounded scores of
Israelis.

The two groups have been active in the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation that erupted in September. At least 376 Palestinians, 71 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed in fighting that flared after peace talks failed.

Hamas has said it has seven suicide bombers ready to attack while Islamic Jihad has vowed to avenge the killing by Israel of one of its top West Bank activists.

A senior Islamic Jihad leader, Abdallah al-Shami, slammed Arab leaders for not physically confronting Israel. ``Leaders of the Arab regime are participants in the shedding of our blood,'' Shami told the rally.

He urged Palestinians to continue their uprising. ``We in the Islamic Jihad, Fatah, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority should be united until the removal of the occupation and the liberation
of our land,'' Shami said.

In fresh violence, Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers fought two gun battles in Rafah district near the Gaza-Egypt border. Witnesses said Palestinians hurled a hand grenade at soldiers guarding the border. No casualties were reported.

At least two Palestinians were wounded by Israeli troops in a stone-throwing clash near the Karni crossing to Israel, hospital officials said.

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