| Israeli forces pounded the West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin Sunday and battled gunmen in alleyways, defying U.S. calls to end an offensive which has sent the Palestinian death toll soaring. The Israeli government hailed its West Bank campaign to root out Palestinian militants as a success, but a cabinet statement pointedly ignored President Bush's pressure to withdraw the troops from Palestinian cities without delay. Israel is widely expected to continue its 10-day-old offensive until Secretary of State Colin Powell visits the region later this week. Palestinians fear this means the army will intensify its assaults over the next few days. The army, which has also suffered mounting casualties, said it had killed more than 30 armed Palestinians in close combat since Friday in Nablus, where it has met dogged resistance from gunmen who erected barricades and planted makeshift mines. |