|
|
August 10, 2001/Av 21, 5761, Vol. 53, No.44
Officials warn of Arafat's downfall
NAOMI SEGAL
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - Israeli defense officials are debating whether the government should take steps to prevent the collapse of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's regime.
The Israeli daily Ma'ariv reported Aug. 7 that officials are warning that the collapse of the Palestinian Authority could lead to chaos in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On Aug. 8, however, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz cited Defense Ministry sources who say Arafat's "SOS signals" appear to be part of a familiar strategy: portraying himself as weak to avoid having to carry out his obligations under peace deals and cease-fires, such as his responsibility to subdue Palestinian militants.
Ma'ariv, however, cited government officials who feel that Israel's policy of targeting wanted Palestinians has placed great strain on Arafat, who fears he may also be singled out.
The paper said this was one of the reasons for Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer's public assurance this week that Israel does not have its sights set on Arafat.
During the week, Arafat wrote to U.S. officials asking them to press Israel to stop its policy of targeting suspected Palestinian militants.
Sharon and his advisers say the policy - which they call "active self-defense" - is justified because it targets Palestinian militants before they can strike innocent Israeli civilians.
According to a Palestinian minister, the Palestinian Authority is losing its influence over Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements because of the Israeli policy. Ziad Abu Ziad told Israel Radio that Israel's policy is radicalizing the Palestinian street.
His comments came during a week of continued Israeli-Palestinian violence - including one attack in which a Palestinian terrorist reached the very heart of Tel Aviv.
On Aug. 5, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a busy street outside Israel's Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, lightly wounding 10 people, most of them soldiers.
Later that night, Palestinian gunmen killed a pregnant Israeli woman and seriously wounded her husband and daughter in a drive-by shooting in the West Bank. Two other children and another passenger were lightly injured.
Israel responded by firing missiles at Palestinian security posts in the West Bank.
On Aug. 7, an Israeli Arab was killed in a shooting near the West Bank settlement Alfei Menashe. Security officials said the man was driving a car with Israeli license plates, and it is possible the gunmen mistook him for a Jew.
Nationalistic motives also were not ruled out in the murder of an Israeli diamond merchant shot the evening of Aug. 6, in Amman, Jordan.
The Jordanian information minister said the slaying of Yitzhak Snir could have been a "settling of scores among business associates."
But Abu Dhabi television said a group calling itself the Islamic Jordanian Resistance Movement claimed responsibility, citing what it called Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinians.
|
