He stressed the planes were sold to Israel on the understanding that they would be used for defensive purposes only. Early on Monday, Israeli helicopters continued their raids on Palestinian factories and security buildings in Gaza. This time, they targeted a factory, which Israel says produced mortar bombs.
Palestinian sources say it was for industrial use.
The latest incident follows the bloodiest weekend since the start of the Second Intifada and came a few hours before the release of a fact-finding report by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell. During this year's election campaign, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed to end the Second Palestinian Intifada within three months and restore Israel's sense of security. He also promised that, in spite of his reputation of a hawk and hardliner, he would be able to bring peace to the region. He refrained from giving concrete details. The whole world, including Washington through Vice President Dick Cheney, has criticised Israel's use of F-16 fighter jets to attack Palestinian Authority buildings and policemen in retaliation for Friday's suicide bombing.