From the Jerusalem Post. Note the organizations producing the terrorists -- the men from Fatah/Tanzim are on Arafat's own payroll. Why Arafat's "moderate" pose does not play in Israel:
Arafat unlikely to crack down on terror
By Arieh O'Sullivan
JERUSALEM (December 19) - Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is unlikely ever to seriously crack down on terrorists, but could reach an understanding with Hamas and other groups to refrain from attacks inside Israel, senior security sources said yesterday.
According to a senior security official, Arafat is not interested in seeing attacks disappear, because "the moment there are no longer any attacks, it's off the world agenda."
"Arafat is a survivor who uses most of his energy on survival," said a security official. "He would never launch a civil war, despite the terrific [international] pressure being put on him. Arafat has the ability to bring about a change in the situation, but he hasn't fully used his security apparatus. It is a matter of the price."
The assessment is that Hamas also wants to avoid a civil war, even at the cost of compromising with the PA for a while. The condition for this is for Arafat not to harm Hamas's welfare network.
The Shin Bet, Israel's security agency, is not relying on Palestinian attempts to foil attacks and is working around the clock to do so.
Senior security officials said yesterday there are indications Hamas and Islamic Jihad are improving their bombs, despite Israel's actions to arrest or eliminate key bomb makers.
"We'd be deluding ourselves to think that by getting rid of some terrorists, we could get rid of Hamas. They can quickly replace them, but we are certainly making it more difficult for them to carry out attacks," said a senior security official.
Security sources said they see Hamas moving away from suicide bombings toward large-scale strategic attacks, such as blowing up a building or assassinating senior public figures. It is also planning "chilling" attacks, including double and triple suicide bombers to cause maximum casualties.
It is also infiltrating expert bomb makers, some of whom studied chemistry and engineering, into the country to train Hamas terrorists in the territories.
Yesterday, the Shin Bet revealed it arrested a 15-member Hamas cell in the Jerusalem area, including an electrical engineer who became an expert bomb maker in Jordan and Syria. He upgraded Hamas bombing expertise, the results of which were seen in the Dolphinarium and Sbarro attacks. The bomb expert, Tarek Akesh, worked at an Israeli hi-tech firm in Rehovot until he was arrested.
However, 56 percent of terror attacks have been carried out by Fatah Tanzim. Hamas carried out 23%, the PFLP 14%, and Islamic Jihad 7%.
There has been increasing cooperation among the organizations, particularly in the Jenin and Nablus areas, where one group supplies the bomb, another the suicide bomber, and another the logistical support, senior security officers said.
According to Shin Bet figures, there have been 2,750 attacks in the territories and Jerusalem. These include 27 suicide attacks so far this year.
The Shin Bet has thwarted numerous attacks and arrests an average of 100 terrorists a month. In the past year, 81 suspects have been snatched from PA-controlled Area A, security sources said.
While Hamas operates in the West Bank on orders from abroad, the terrorists in the Gaza Strip are largely independent, the sources said.
Terrorism in the Gaza Strip is also extremely restricted due to difficulties in infiltrating into Israel.
So far, Israel has arrested some 180 suspected terrorists in the Gaza Strip. But security officials said that for every one arrested, another takes his place. In the Gaza Strip, hundreds of terrorists are integrated into the PA infrastructure.
"This is a very determined enemy," said one security official. "We have succeeded in preventing or thwarting attacks, but it's like trying to empty the sea with a teaspoon."
"Ultimately, the Shin Bet and the IDF know there is no military solution to terrorism. You can kill terrorists and you can reduce it to a level you can live with, but you can't eliminate it," said another.
While assessments even inside the Shin Bet differ, there is general consensus that Arafat is still relevant and a symbolic leader who cannot be replaced.
However, there is agreement that none of Arafat's steps taken so far to foil terror are serious.
"For Arafat, lack of control is a policy," said one source
jpost.com |
