European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday october 21, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 5israel closes off West Bank Gaza Tel Aviv Israel apr the israeli Cabinet on thursday approved the indefinite Clor sure of the West Bank and Gaza strip As part of a crackdown on islamic militants following a bus bombing that killed 21 people wednesday. The government also approved a measure to bring in 15,000 foreign workers from poorer countries to take the place of palestinians. A spokesman for Yasser Arafat head of the palestinian autonomy government said the move constituted a economic and social War on palestinians. \ the measure will keep 65,000 palestinians from jobs in Israel mainly in construction and agriculture. It also will prevent palestinians from visiting religious Sites in the West Bank and Gaza without a permit. A the closure will continue until further notice until Security conditions permit it to be removed a environment minister Yossi Sarid said. A a a. A a a a it. A a a a a Arafat spokesman Marwan Kanafani said the autonomy government considered the closure a collective punishment against innocent people and warned it could slow the peace process. A i see in these resolutions adopted by the israeli Cabinet today a declaration of War an economic and social War against the palestini an society that will negatively affect the whole process a he said. Israel has tried to avoid harsh inflammatory measures since signing a peace Accord with the Palestine liberation organization in septum be r 1993. Through the agreement the Gaza and West Bank town of Jericho gained limited autonomy this year. The Plo also has talked of restraint in the face of attacks by those who oppose the peace process. Islamic militants thursday distributed a videotape of a Man they said was the suicide at Tacker who carried the bomb onto bus no. 5 in Tel Aviv. The militants said the attack was carried out in response to israelis killing last week of three militants who had kidnapped an israeli Soldier. The Soldier was killed by his captors As israeli commandos tried to Rescue him. In the tape Salah Abdel Rahim Hassan As Sawi held an israeli made Rifle and said he was committing a suicide attack because his brother was killed in the uprising that began in december 1987 against israeli  profile of terror Tea military Wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for wednesdays terrorist bomb. A attack in Central Tel Aviv. Last week the group kidnapped a \ and murdered an israeli so tier in the West  v it i v1-. V a a it v a p. Yoc 1 a a. A v a a v _ a Hamas appeared for the first time in 1978, registering in Gaza As a nonprofit organization called the my Jam a. A it was founded by Sheik Ahmed Yassin after the Start of the Intifada or uprising against israeli Rule in the West Bank and Gaza strip. A a. Hamas ideology combines pan Arab religious principles with palestinian nationalistic Aims contending that the soil of All Palestine is a Wald moslem holy pm Perty that belongs to the moslem forever a a the organization s Himat Atcoal to the formation of one great islamic state. A their most revered strategic goal is the liberation of Alt of Palestine from the sea to the River. Sap we j. Costello Dawn Desilet army officials begin probe of stress in Haiti port a Prince Haiti a army chaplains and psychiatrists worked wednesday to identify cases of depression and stress to prevent suicides which have claimed the lives of three . Service members in Haiti. Col. Barry Willey a . Military spokesman in Haiti said the a apparently self inflicted gunshot wound that killed a Soldier on sunday had moved the army to redouble efforts to keep up troop morale in a stressful environment. The service member pvt. Gerardo d. Luciano 22, of new York was the Sec Ond Soldier of the 10th inf Mountain div to commit suicide. The division based at fort drum n.y., provides the bulk of the . Troops in Haiti. The third suicide victim was a Marine. Quot there a no Way at this Point to determine any kind of correlation Between any of these suicides a Willey said. All the deaths Are still under investigation. There was no explanation for Luciano s motives. Defense department officials in Washington said tuesday that three psychiatrists were headed for Haiti to train commanders to look for stress among troops that could Lead to suicides. Some of the team May already be in the country Willey said but he noted that the army already has psychiatrists psychologists chaplains and medical professionals looking for signs of suicide potential disorders. The chaplains a Are especially focused now on All of the units to spend time talking to the troops talking to their leaders providing guidance and being a sounding Board a Willey said. . Commanders arc trying to keep up troop morale. In port a Prince service members have Shower Bath and laundry facilities available and can buy sodas or get their hair Cut at a Basic pm. Steaks have been served once and the Gatlin Brothers arc scheduled to perform concerts next week Willey said. Quot we know this is a stressful situation a Willey said. A the Mission is difficult. Its always going to be relatively austere and its going to be a Tough  the three suicides have been the Only fatalities among the . Forces in Haiti which at one Point reached 20,000 personnel. Some texans begin cleanup As others Brace for flooding Houston Apas the Sun finally shone on Southeastern Texas residents began cleaning out waterlogged Homes while swirling floodwaters threatened to dismantle other neighbourhoods. Ron Applebee piled his soggy belongings on sheets of plastic in front of his flood damaged Home in suburban Kingwood. A a we be been Here 25 years and i feel the neighbourhood will survive and rebuild a he said. The floods have forced More than 10,000 people from their Homes and 53 shelters have been opened in 18 counties across Southeastern Texas. At least 15 people have been killed since the Rains began sunday. Downtown Houston isolated earlier by High water that closed freeway exits returned to Normal wednesday. Federal authorities led by housing Secretary Henry Cisneros arrived to inspect damage and begin rebuilding efforts. Forecasters warned of additional rain thursday. Rising Bayou Waters threatened subdivisions near sour Lake about 60 Miles Northeast of Houston. In Liberty 45 Miles Northeast of Houston residents braced for a record Crest at Lake Livingston. But elsewhere As skies cleared for the first time in four Days and murky Waters began receding residents returned to their damaged Homes by foot boat or truck. In Conroe about 40 Miles North of Houston David and Vivian Webb returned Home to find the Walls of the first floor of their House caked with mud and the carpets and furniture soaked with Slimy water. A a it a a mess but it could have been a lot worse a said David Webb wearing knee High rubber boots and struggling to dump a waterlogged Blue sofa in his Back twins Brenda Russom left and Linda Martin fearing they lost everything in the floods cry wednesday in the Houston suburb of Humble. Yard. He was among the fortunate he was insured. A few Miles South Montgomery county employees used dump trucks to haul 20 residents at a time through 3 feet of water to their Homes. A you see that White building sticking out of the water i live right across the Street a said Neva Goff. She and. Her husband have no flood insurance. They fled tuesday with Only the clothes on their backs. President Clinton designated 26 counties As Federal disaster areas making them eligible for Federal Aid. Nearly twice As Many counties have been designated state disaster areas by gov. Ann Richards. She said it was too Early to estimate the damage. The receding san Jacinto River was at nearly 28 feet wednesday night a still 8 feet above flood stage. Martha Raye Dies in . At 78 by Durt a. Folkart los Angeles times los Angeles a Martha Raye the charismatic comedian with the oversized Mouth polished pratfalls and mimicking manner died wednesday in los Angeles. She was 78. Raye bom in Butte. Mont., in a Hospital Char a immigrant vaudevillian Irish been in failing had _ health for Many years. Ron Wise spokesman for Cedars Sinai medical Center where Raye died said that her death follows a lengthy illness including severe circulatory problems. For More than 50 years she teamed with the preeminent entertainment talents of the 20th Century Charlie Chaplin Jimmy Raye Durante Bob Hope a Jolson Eddie Cantor Milton Berle Bing Crosby and Many More. Raye had opened her monstrous maw in Broadway musical comedies radio and television shows and an assortment of motion pictures. And each time out of it came both volume and warmth for she had a if even for a fleeting moment a the ability to transcend foolishness and produce genuine sentiment and melancholy. Nowhere was that More evident than during world War ii and in Korea and Vietnam when she travelled tens of thousands of Miles to carry her merry insanity to american troops. She was married seven times most recently to Mark Harris a show business promoter 32 years her Junior