PA Foreign Minister admits in tv interview that the PA has no intention of disarming any terrorists, says their weapons are legitimate because of "occupation". Since this kind of admission makes diplomatic pretences difficult to uphold, watch the MSM fail to mention it.
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PA admits it has no intention of disarming terrorists
By Israel Insider staff and partners June 12, 2005
By refusing to disarm terrorists the Palestinian Authority has dropped a "cluster bomb" on chances of renewing peace talks, Israel's vice premier said Sunday, vowing that the Israeli army will fiercely fight the militants if the Palestinians refuse to do so themselves.
Israeli officials were infuriated by Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al Kidwa's comment Saturday that the Palestinian Authority had no intention of disarming militants as long as the Israeli occupation continues.
Al Kidwa's comments mean the Palestinian Authority is absolving itself from its commitments under the U.S.-backed road map peace plan, Israeli officials said.
According to the first phase of the road map, Palestinians must disarm terrorist groups and Israel must freeze construction in Jewish settlements.
While Israel prepares for the disengagement and destroys existing settlements, so far the Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories has only given terrorists an opportunity to bolster their weapons caches.
"The dismantling of armed organizations is not on the table because weapons are legal as long as the occupation exists," Al Kidwa told Palestinian television, according to a transcript released Saturday by his office. "Possession of weapons is a strategic issue as long as there is occupation."
Al Kidwa's comments marked the first time a Palestinian official openly said terrorists would not be disarmed. Until now, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said that due to the weak state of his security forces he would co-opt the militants, with the longterm goal of collecting illegal weapons.
"The refusal of the Palestinian Authority to disarm the terror groups drops a cluster bomb on the process that could lead to negotiations and quiet," Vice Premier Ehud Olmert told Israel Radio. "Very simply, either they will fight terrorism or we will fight terrorism."
Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said Israel will not begin peace talks until the Palestinians disarm terrorists. Al Kidwa's comment "places doubt on the Palestinian intention to enter the road map framework acceptable to the entire international community," Boim told Israel Radio.
Al Kidwa said the weapons should be organized and not used to break the law. Some of the powerful terrorist groups operate as armed gangs in Palestinian towns and cities, challenging the security forces and fomenting chaos and violence.
In a sign of the Palestinian Authority's inability to deal with armed terrorists, about 40 gunmen on Saturday from various groups attacked a security headquarters in Gaza City, sparking a shootout with Palestinian security officers that continued -- sporadically -- for three hours.
No one was injured, witnesses and security officials said. But soon after the fighting stopped shots were fired near the Gaza house of a Palestinian security chief, Brig. Gen. Rashid Abu Shbak. No injuries were reported in that shooting either.
The shootout came two days after gunmen refused to identify themselves at a Palestinian checkpoint in Gaza, sparking a gunfight with security forces that left a militant slightly injured.
Palestinian lawmaker Qadoura Fares said it is worrisome that unsupervised armed people wander freely through Palestinian streets. But the most Abbas can do at the moment is co-opt the groups, he added.
"The Palestinian Authority security structure cannot withstand such a provocation, gathering the arms from the groups," Fares said. "It is possible in a phased manner to reach the same goal in agreement with all the groups."
Meanwhile, Israel clamped a closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Sunday ahead of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot -- the days Jews mark getting the Bible. The holiday begins Sunday evening and ends Monday night. Israel often prevents Palestinians from traveling into Israel during Jewish holidays.
The army said Sunday's closure is the result of intelligence information that Palestinian militant groups are planning attacks during the Shavuot holiday when masses of Israelis are expected to celebrate in public places.
The AP contributed to this article.
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