Palestinian sniper opens fire at internal security minister's entourage
during tour near Kibbutz Nir Am in southern Israel, lightly to moderately
wounding one of his advisors. Earlier, gunshots fired at farmers in Kibbutz
Ein Hashlosha; no injuries reported
Hanan Greenberg YNET Published: 04.04.08, 11:17 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3527558,00.html

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter's personal assistant was lightly to
moderately injured Friday by gunshots fired by Palestinians at the
minister's entourage visiting the Nizmit hill in Kibbutz Nir Am in southern
Israel.

A Magen David Adom crew evacuated 30-year-old Matti Gil of Jerusalem, who
was injured in the groin, to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.

Minister Dichter lay down on the ground with his entourage and asked
everyone to remain calm. Following the incident, he said that "the IDF did
an excellent job and immediately fired back at the source of the fire until
it stopped. Ambulances were dispatched to the area within minutes."

Dichter left the area for the Barzilai hospital to visit his injured
assistant.

The minister was hosting a group of managers from the Canada-Israel
Committee (CIC), a pro-Israel lobby group, who visited the observation tower
in the Gaza vicinity area in order to examine the threat on Israel.
According to estimates, a Palestinian sniper fired the shots.

The observation tower, which overlooks the northern Gaza Strip from Ashkelon
to the al-Bureij and al-Marazi refugee camp in the heart of the Strip, is
considered a popular hiking site.

Earlier, Palestinian fired at farmers in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha. There were
no reports of injuries. Some 30 youths from the Kibbutz Movement arrived at
the area Friday morning in order to assist the farmers in their work. Large
army forces secured the activity.

Roni Sofer contributed to this report