The Palestinian Authority is rejecting the U.S. growing criticism towards Yasser Arafat. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat hardened his tone Saturday when he told AFP that the "US declarations are unacceptable," while reiterating the Palestinian Authority's call for US peace envoy Anthony Zinni to be immediately sent back to the region.
"I am disappointed in Yasser Arafat," US President George W. Bush said on Friday when asked about Arafat's failure to punish Palestinian officials whom the United States and Israel say are implicated in weapons smuggling.
Meanwhile, an estimated 2,000 Palestinians protested outside Palestinian President Arafat's compound Saturday in support of their leader.
At one point, some of the demonstrators were invited inside the compound to speak personally with Arafat, who condemned Israel's air strikes on Friday, carried out by F-16 war planes against Palestinian security installations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
“The Israelis believe that the F-16s that hit Tulkarem, Gaza and Khan Yunis yesterday can shake the Palestinian people ... but we are the strongest people," Arafat encouraged his people.
In addition, Palestine News Agency specified that Ahmad Abdel Rahman, Secretary General of the Palestinian Cabinet, affirmed that the Palestine National Authority would not be able to carry out its obligations without Israeli withdrawal and lift of closure imposed on the Palestinian leadership.
"Under the present circumstances, the PNA is unable to commit to any obligations or make any arrangements until the Sharon's government withdraws its forces from the areas it reoccupied and lifts its closure, which it has imposed on President Yasser Arafat," Abdel Rahman told the Palestine News Agency after the recent meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah.
According to WAFA, Abdel Rahman stressed that, "The PNA is paralyzed, for Israeli tanks are only 70 meters away from the Presidential compound and are surrounding us from all sides. What can the leadership do in a situation when the Israeli rifle is pointed at our head? The leadership is unable to take any measures whatsoever."
Furthermore, Abdel Rahman reiterated, "The PNA is against the targeting of civilians, whether they are Palestinians or Israelis. Sharon is the one responsible for the eruption of the violence."
Violence Continues
Palestinian security sources reported Saturday night that the Israeli army fired three surface-to-surface missiles at the eastern Gaza Strip and fired tank shells at two towns in northern Gaza. The reports came after Palestinians fired two mortar shells at Israeli targets in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli missiles hit an open area under Palestinian control, the sources said. Four Israeli tanks then proceeded 200 meters into Palestinian-ruled territory, they added.
Witnesses and security officials said Palestinians near the northern Gaza towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun fired at occupation troops after which Israeli tanks responded with tank shells and heavy machinegun fire.
Israeli Army radio reported that the tanks opened fire after spotting a group of Palestinians trying to dig under the border fence near the Israeli kibbutz of Nahal Oz, apparently trying to place an explosive device. According to initial reports, the Palestinians were hit.
Palestinian sources also reported that a Hamas activist was shot dead by Israeli troops at a West Bank army checkpoint near Ramallah.
A Palestinian hospital official accused Israeli soldiers of letting Nassar Abu Salim, aged 33, bleed to death after he was shot in the leg.
However, an Israeli military source denied the charges and said Salim tried to pass the checkpoint with other men. When soldiers turned them back, Salim tried to grab a knife from the bulletproof vest of an Israeli officer who then shot and injured him, the source said.
Ramallah hospital director Husni Attari said Salim was hit in the thigh and arrived dead.
“He was hit in a major artery but the wound was not deadly if it was tended to immediately...but he was left to bleed to death and ambulances were prevented from reaching him for 45 minutes,” he told Reuters.
But the Israeli Army source acknowledged there was no delay in treating the man. He was treated first by Israeli medics and then by Palestinian ambulance workers, when they arrived at the scene.
In addition, late Saturday night, a settler was moderately injured in a shooting attack on his vehicle near the West Bank settlement of Ariel. The man was rushed to a hospital in Jerusalem for treatment.
Palestinian Cabinet
In a statement released after a Friday night meeting in Ramallah, chaired by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian cabinet claimed that the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinians could end within 24 hours. "If the intentions of the United States, Russia, Europe and the United Nations are serious, it is possible to enforce a cease-fire and end the current armed conflict within 24 hours," according to the statement.
The statement called on Palestinian organizations to enforce a "comprehensive cease-fire and stop operations against Israel and Israelis." and added, "these attacks [against Israel] do not serve our national interests."
The statement also demanded that Israel permit Arafat leave the West Bank city of Ramallah, where he has been confined to since December, and to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities.
The Palestinian Cabinet also called upon the United States to return Anthony Zinni, the special envoy to the region, and to resume the joint Israeli-American-Palestinian security co-ordination talks.
In addition, the statement hinted at the Palestinian Authority’s disappointment at the position taken by the Arab countries recently. "Not enough is being done to ensure a cease-fire and an end to the conflict," it said. "In order for that to happen, the international Arab community must take a bigger role. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
