Israel Admits 'Rocket' Loaded in UN Ambulance May Have Been a Stretcher.

By Larry James (VOA-Jerusalem)

Israel said that Palestinian terrorists are exploiting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, even as it admitted that military experts might have mistaken a stretcher for a rocket in a video showing an object being loaded into a U.N. vehicle.

The latest allegations came following the news that the Israeli army has arrested 13 United Nations employees on suspicion of terrorist activities. Army officials said charges will be brought against the 13, but would not provide specifics. The men were arrested after Israel said it had evidence that a U.N. ambulance was being used to transport a rocket to be used on attacks against Israel.

The army said there is a difference of opinion among analysts as to whether it was a rocket or a stretcher, as the U.N. officials here have maintained. Tuesday night, foreign ministry official Gideon Meir repeated Israel's charge that terrorists are using U.N. facilities. He said Israel has concrete evidence terrorists are using U.N. ambulances and, in some cases, shooting out of hospitals.

He said the evidence would be presented to a U.N. team due to arrive in the region for an already scheduled trip. The team has been tasked with investigating Israeli claims. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched an investigation into those accusations, late Monday. The United Nations insisted it did not hire terrorists and did not tolerate any terrorist activity of any kind by its staff.

Meanwhile, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip entered a seventh day, Wednesday. Palestinian witnesses said three Palestinians were killed and 10 children were injured when an Israeli tank fired several times in the northern Gaza town, Beit Lahiya. A 15-year-old boy was reported to have been killed in one house and two men in another. The shelling took place just before dawn. Hospital officials said 10 children were injured, several of them seriously, when a tank fired on the house where they were sleeping.