Looks as tho' Arafat is replaying one of his favorite tunes:
Arafat: Willing to work for
'immediate' cease-fire
Thursday, March 28, 2002
Email this article
Print this article
Talk about it
Top stories
RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) – Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
said Thursday he is ready to implement the Tenet cease-fire
proposal "without conditions," speaking as Palestinians braced
for an expected Israeli attack in retaliation for the suicide
bombing that killed 21 people at a Passover dinner a day earlier.
But Arafat's words -- delivered in Arabic at a news conference in
Ramallah -- were greeted with skepticism by Israeli officials.
"We're quite fed up with those declarations that Arafat makes
every time he feels the pressure is mounting on him," said
Ra'anan Gissin, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon.
In an interview with CNN, Gissin said the Palestinian Authority
president must arrest those responsible for the escalation of
violence against Israelis.
"He has to take real action," Gissin said. "Declarations won't do.
They won't get him off the hook. This time it's a moment of truth,
and lies will not cover up."
Arafat said he had notified U.S. Middle East Envoy Anthony Zinni
that he is willing to work for "an immediate cease-fire."
Arafat has said in the past that he would accept the work plan
proposed by CIA Director George Tenet. However, the
Palestinian Authority had raised a number of concerns in recent
days and Zinni had been attempting to bridge the gaps between
the Israelis and Palestinians.
Violence in the region continued even as the Palestinian leader
spoke. Israeli police said gunmen had entered the Jewish
settlement of Alon Moreh near Nablus and had killed three
settlers Thursday.
In addition to the deaths, at least one person was taken
hostage, the Israeli army said, and another was seriously
injured. Police officials said the gunmen were holed up in a
house with the hostage.
Meanwhile, Palestinians were preparing for retaliation after a
Palestinian suicide bomber killed 21 people Wednesday on the
first night of the Jewish religious celebration of Passover during
a traditional Seder dinner at a seaside hotel in Netanya, Israel.
The terror attack also wounded more than 170 people.
"What is expected is an attack by Israel forces," Farouq
Kaddoumi, the Palestinian Liberation Organization's political
chief, told delegates Thursday at the Arab League summit in
Beirut, Lebanon. "We are expecting large-scale operation,
retaliation in next few hours."
A source at the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said Israel
had not responded to Wednesday's terror attack because the
government continued to support Zinni's efforts to reach a
cease-fire. The Middle East envoy is still in the region, and U.S.
officials said he will remain there to try to negotiate a cease-fire.
"Israel will do the most it can," said the source, adding that
Israel has followed a policy of retaliatory restraint for the last 10
days. During that period, the source said, Israeli authorities
have intercepted 11 would-be suicide bombers.
The so-called "Passover massacre" caused ripples beyond the
Middle East, too. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the
attack "heartless and indiscriminate" and said "it greatly
damages the Palestinian cause." Annan said he called Arafat
and Sharon, asking each to declare an immediate cease-fire.
In the West Bank, no unusual troop movements by Israeli forces
were reported. In Gaza, Israeli and Palestinian sources said
Israeli forces had partitioned the area into three tracts, with
roadblocks at Netzarim Junction, Gush Katie junction and on the
Karni-Netzarim road. No Palestinians are being allowed to travel
between the three areas.
Kaddoumi's comments about Israeli retaliation came shortly
before the Arab League summit unanimously adopted an Arab
peace initiative aimed at providing normal relations and security
for Israel in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied
territories, allowing the "return of refugees" and the recognition
of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its
capital.
Responding to the Arab peace initiative, the Foreign Ministry
source said that, although Israel does not agree with all the
terms of the initiative, it welcomes the attempt to form a
"consensus around peace."
Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist group that has
been labeled by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist
organization, claimed responsibility for Wednesday's suicide
attack and said the bomber was a Palestinian from the West
Bank town of Tulkarem. Hamas has a military wing that has
carried out attacks on Israeli civilians and military targets during
the 18-month-old Al Aqsa Intifada.
Gissin, who is a senior adviser to Sharon, termed the attack a
"Passover massacre" and said the government would use all
"necessary measures" to stop further terrorist attacks.
He warned that the Israeli government would not continue to
tolerate the wave of suicide attacks, and he said Arafat must
bring militants under control before peace negotiations between
Palestinians and Israelis could resume.
Nabil Sha'ath, a Palestinian Cabinet minister, denounced the
attack and offered condolences to the victims. But he said
Israel's "mentality of siege and occupation" has created such
frustration and resentment that many Palestinians are ready to
die for their cause "because there's no hope for living."
The explosion severely damaged the ground floor of the Park
Hotel in Netanya. The bomber apparently walked past a security
guard into the lobby of the hotel at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday
(12:15 p.m. EST) and approached the dining room, where police
said 227 Israelis had gathered for their traditional Seder meal
on the first night of the Jewish Passover celebration.
The explosion in the confined space caused severe destruction,
injuring or killing all but three dozen people. Walls and windows
were blown out, parts of the ceiling collapsed and water pipes
were torn apart. Pools of blood could be seen on the floor.
The attack was denounced by U.S. President George Bush, who
called on Arafat and the Palestinian Authority "to do everything
in their power to stop the terrorist killing."
A Hamas spokesman in Beirut, Usama Hamdan, told CNN the
attack was meant to send a "message for all the world that we
are trying to fight for our own freedom against a terrorist
government in Israel led by Sharon." He said Israelis "have to
expect those attacks from everywhere, from every Palestinian
group."
Passover commemorates the exodus of the ancient Israelites
(Jewish slaves) from Egypt. It is celebrated for eight days,
although some celebrate for seven. Jews gather each evening
after sunset for the Seder, a ritual meal.
CNN Correspondents Michael Holmes and Christiane Amanpour
and CNN Producer Pierre Klochendler contributed to this report.
CNN TOP STORIES
• 35 suspected terrorists arrested in
Pakistan
• U.S. to seek death penalty for
Moussaoui |
