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Politics : WAR on Terror. Will it engulf the Entire Middle East? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sylvester80 who wrote (2239)	4/13/2002 9:57:38 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 32591

Powell presses Israel on operations By Eli J. Lake UPI State Department Correspondent From the International Desk Published 4/13/2002 9:46 AM JERUSALEM, April 13 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell pressed Israel Saturday to allow humanitarian workers access to the West Bank and announced $30 million in additional funding for humanitarian services to Palestinian refugee areas. "We call upon Israel to respect international humanitarian principles and to allow full and unimpeded access to humanitarian organizations and services to provide basic humanitarian services, including evacuation of the wounded and deceased," Powell said in a written statement released Saturday during a meeting with senior relief officials. "In this regard, we are particularly concerned at the humanitarian situation in Jenin." Powell's remarks on the condition of Palestinian towns after Israel's incursion were in sharp contrast to remarks he made Friday after a suicide bomber exploded in a market, killing six and injuring dozens more. As a result of the bombing, Powell Friday evening cancelled his meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and called on Arafat to condemn the attack. U.S. special envoy Anthony Zinni pressed Palestinian officials in Jericho to do the same. But Palestinian officials Saturday criticized the Powell's decision and urged him to criticize Israel's operation in Jenin, where Palestine's information office says at least 900 Palestinians have been killed during heavy fighting in the refugee camp. The Israeli army Friday revised initial estimates that at least 100 Palestinians were killed in Jenin, to "hundreds" of casualties. After meeting with Powell Saturday in an earlier meeting of Jerusalem church leaders, Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan said Powell had told the group he would meet with Arafat before he left. Powell told reporters Saturday he was still considering the decision. Meanwhile, Powell heard firsthand from the Red Cross and the United Nation Relief and Works Agency -- the organization charged with helping Palestinian refugees -- reports of worsening conditions in areas where Israeli troops have conducted operations. After the meeting, Rene Kosirnik, chief of the Red Cross delegation in Palestinian territories, said Israeli operations "amounted to collective punishment" of Palestinians for the actions of a few. Kosirnik said Red Cross workers have been denied access to the areas. Israelis also have denied Red Cross requests to visit prisoners in special detention camps created to house the large number of Palestinians rounded up in Israeli sweeps, he said. The Red Cross also is concerned about the Palestinian Authority publicly executing so-called collaborators, Kosirnik said. Copyright © 2002 United Press International