Killing of Far-Right Israeli Leader Brings Complete Break in Talks
By JAMES BENNET October 16, 2001
nytimes.com
JERUSALEM, Oct. 17 -- Palestinian gunmen killed Israel's senior far-right leader in a swift, silent raid on a hotel here this morning, prompting the Israeli government to break off all communications with Palestinian leaders and bringing new efforts for peace here to the brink of collapse.
In a somber address this afternoon to the Israeli Parliament, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, personally responsible for the attack, the first slaying ever by Palestinians of an elected Israeli politician.
``Only despicable terrorists can dream of assassinating an elected official in a democratic state,'' Mr. Sharon said. ``Full responsibility falls squarely on Arafat, as someone who has controlled, and continues to control, terrorism.''
He accused Mr. Arafat of not taking ``even one serious step to prevent terrorism.'' Mr. Arafat's spokesman condemned the killing of the minister, Rehavam Zeevi, 75. Mr. Zeevi resigned from Mr. Sharon's government on Monday, accusing it of buckling to American pressure and softening its stance toward the Palestinians. His resignation was to take effect this afternoon.
Israeli officials were unified in demanding that Mr. Arafat take immediate steps to punish the killers, and Agence France-Presse reported that Mr. Arafat had ordered his police force to arrest the killers.
Yossi Sarid, the left-wing opposition leader, told Parliament that Mr. Arafat and other Palestinian leaders faced an immediate test. `If they fail the test,'' he said, ``the land will burn, the fire will rage, and no one will be able to put it out.''
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Arabic-language network Al Jazeera broadcast a videotape of three men said to be the gunmen. They were brandishing semi-automatic weapons, their faces hidden by red-and-white clothes.
The group, a secular, putatively Marxist organization, said it was acting in revenge for the killing on Aug. 27 of its leader, Mustafa Zibri, known as Abu Ali Mustafa.
Israeli helicopters fired two missiles into Mr. Zibri's offices in Ramallah. At the time, the Popular Front accused Israel of widening the conflict to include political figures, and it threatened to respond against Israeli politicians. The Israeli government said Mr. Zibri had masterminded car bombings.
Mr. Sharon rescinded some of the measures he had taken Sunday to loosen some travel restrictions on Palestinians. The West Bank cities of Ramallah and Nablus were sealed off.
In what appeared to be a carefully planned operation, Mr. Zeevi was shot twice shortly after 7 a.m, the police said. He was hit once in the head and once in the neck when he returned to his room on the V.I.P. floor of the Hyatt hotel here after breakfast, the police said. A third bullet missed him. The police said they believed the attackers used a silencer.
Mr. Zeevi was found face down in the hallway by his wife when she returned to the room minutes later, the police said. On hearing her screams, an American staying in the hotel opened his door and rushed to her aid. He later told Israel radio that attempts by anther guest to provide emergency care were unavailing, and Mr. Zeevi appeared dead.
Mr. Zeevi was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital, where his condition was described as critical. He was later declared dead.
The police blocked off the hotel soon after the attack, preventing all workers and guests from leaving. The Hyatt, which is within eyesight of the national police headquarters, sits on what Palestinians consider to be occupied territory between the French Hill neighborhood and Mount Scopus, where Hebrew University is situated. That area of Jerusalem abuts Palestinian neighborhoods.
Mr. Zeevi, who had been a member of the Israeli Parliament and minister of tourism, often stayed at the Hyatt when Parliament was in session, as it is now. He lived in Ramat Hasharon, a suburb of Tel Aviv.
The police said it was not clear why Mr. Zeevi had no bodyguards. He was said to resist such security for himself.
Known with some irony as ``Gandhi'' because of his likeness, at least in his youth, to the Indian leader, Mr. Zeevi argued strongly within the Sharon government against negotiation with the Palestinian leadership. He served in the army from 1948, the year of Israel's founding, until 1974, rising to major general. After the 1967 war, Mr. Zeevi took partin drawing the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem.
Mr. Zeevi favored what he described as the ``voluntary transfer'' of alestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In a recent interview, he said that Mr. Arafat should be provided with a ``one-way ticket to Tunis,'' and, if he resisted, he should perhaps even be killed.
``I'm no vegetarian,` Mr. Zeevi told The New York Times.
It was a decision by Mr. Sharon to withdraw troops from two Palestinian neighborhoods in the West Bank city of Hebron that led to Mr. Zeevi's resignation. The troops had taken over the neighborhoods to prevent sniper fire on Israeli settlers, who were furious at the withdrawal. Settlers were an important component of Mr. Zeevi political base.
In recent days, Israeli forces had eased some travel restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in response to diplomatic pressure and a drop in the violence in those area.
Mr. Zeevi resigned with Avigdor Lieberman, the minister of infrastructure. Both men represented the National Union-Yisrael Beitenu faction, and they took with them seven seats in Parliament, reducing Mr. Sharon's coalition to 76 seats out of 120.
It was not immediately clear if Mr. Lieberman would rescind his resignation after today's killing. To do so, he would have to act by 1 p.m.
Mr. Zeevi and Mr. Lieberman were both under pressure on Tuesday from Sharon allies to reverse their decision and stay in the cabinet. Their defection was not an immediate threat to the government, since it would take 61 votes to force new elections.
But it was the most tangible evidence to date of the erosion of Mr. Sharon's support on the right.
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