" Despite the Israeli warnings and the arrests by the Palestinian police, none of the Hamas leaders appeared to be taking special precautions. One leader, Mahmoud Zahar, a lecturer at Gaza City's Islamic University, said he was busy preparing for weekend exams, and two others - Ismail Abu Shanab and Abdel Aziz Rantisi - said they had scheduled back-to-back media interviews. "
Tanks Move Toward Gaza After Israel Approves Retaliatory Measures for Suicide Bombings
By Greg Myre Associated Press Writer
Published: May 9, 2002
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Tanks moved toward Gaza on Thursday, after Israel's Cabinet approved retaliation for Palestinian suicide bombings. Meanwhile, Palestinians arrested 16 Hamas members in a first sign that Yasser Arafat was taking action against terror groups.
In Bethlehem, talks on resolving a five-week standoff at the Church of the Nativity broke down Thursday, after a partial deal had already appeared imminent. The deal foundered over a Palestinian demand to allow a European monitor into the shrine to safeguard 13 suspected militants who were to remain there until they are deported. So far, negotiators have failed to find a country to take them.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened his security Cabinet at an air force base early Thursday, immediately after his return from the United States, to approve a response to a Hamas suicide bombing Tuesday in a pool hall in a Tel Aviv suburb. Fifteen Israelis were killed in the attack, the deadliest since Israel launched its West Bank military offensive, "Defensive Shield," on March 29.
The Cabinet did not say what type of response it authorized, but a strike against Gaza was widely expected. Hamas' senior leaders are in Gaza, and Israel has so far refrained from targeting them.
Tanks were seen moving toward Gaza on Thursday and forces around the strip were being beefed up.
"Target Gaza," read a banner headline in the Maariv daily. The military confirmed that it was calling up reservists, but would not say how many. The last reserve call-up came ahead of operation "Defensive Shield." Israeli media reports also said forces were amassing near the crowded strip, home to more than 1 million Palestinians.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres suggested that the army was not planning a large-scale operation. "We are going to strike at the nests of terrorism, whether in Gaza or elsewhere," Peres said. "The intention is to reach only those places where the isolated concentrations of suicide terrorists are located."
Military commentators also said they expected the Gaza operation to be more limited in nature than the West Bank offensive, during which troops occupied six of the eight main Palestinian towns for periods of up to several weeks. Fighting in Gaza would be much more complicated and could expose troops to greater risks.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, asked at a White House briefing whether the United States has given a red or green light to Israel in its response, said: "Israel does not ask the United States for lights of any shade or color and the United States does not give Israel any lights.
In Gaza City, Hamas officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that 16 members were arrested Thursday by Palestinian police. None of the senior members of the group was among those taken into custody.
Despite the Israeli warnings and the arrests by the Palestinian police, none of the Hamas leaders appeared to be taking special precautions. One leader, Mahmoud Zahar, a lecturer at Gaza City's Islamic University, said he was busy preparing for weekend exams, and two others - Ismail Abu Shanab and Abdel Aziz Rantisi - said they had scheduled back-to-back media interviews.
Three men were posted outside the Gaza City home of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin, including his son Mohammed. Yassin's son said his father was inside but wasn't received visitors, and that he planned to leave to attend a wedding reception for one of his seven daughters later in the day.
The arrests of the 16 Hamas members appeared to indicate that Arafat is responding to growing U.S. pressure to take action against Palestinian militants. Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said that the Palestinian Authority "has already taken some measures to control the security situation."
Fleischer, the White House spokesman, reacted cautiously, saying the key test will be whether those arrested remain in custody.
"We're looking into the reports of the arrests," he said.
In the past, Palestinian police have temporarily detained Hamas leaders, but then released them soon after. In some cases, it appeared the Palestinians took the moves largely to protect the Hamas leaders from possible Israeli attack.
Israel has accused the Palestinian Authority of taking such action to give the appearance of a crackdown on militants, saying their subsequent release shows the arrests were not serious.
Palestinian militants have unleashed about 60 suicide bombings during the 19 months of Mideast fighting, and Hamas has carried out more attacks than any other group, and has been responsible for all of the deadliest blasts.
Despite growing apprehension about an Israeli offensive, the streets of Gaza City appeared normal on Thursday morning, filled with honking taxis and donkey-drawn carts. Shops and markets were open and busy. However, increased police patrols were visible in some parts of the city.
In Bethlehem, a resolution to the church standoff appeared distant again Thursday, just hours after a partial deal had already been reached.
Under the initial agreement, several dozen Palestinians were to have emerged from the shrine Thursday, including 26 wanted men who were to be driven to Gaza under U.S. escort. Thirteen senior militants slated for deportation were to remain behind until a host country could be found.
Each side accused the other of derailing the deal at the last minute.
Israeli negotiators said they rejected an unexpected Palestinian demand that a European monitor enter the church to stay with the 13 until they were deported.
Palestinian negotiators claimed that Israel had already agreed to the European monitor, and at the last minute changed its position.
The siege began April 2 when more than 200 Palestinians fled into the church, which marks the birthplace of Jesus, ahead of invading Israeli forces. In the weeks that followed, several groups of civilians were allowed to leave.
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