Israel has ended its 10-day siege on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Israel media reported Sunday, September 29. The withdrawal follows a personal message from US President George W. Bush to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, asserting the continued blockade was affecting US policy in Iraq.
In the wake of two suicide bombings that killed seven people in Israel, Sharon has demanded that Arafat hand over some 50 wanted Palestinian activists, who Israeli security forces claimed were taking shelter in the building.
A UN Security Council resolution passed last week urged Israel to end its siege. It also called for the Palestinian Authority to meet its commitment to end violence against Israelis. Palestinians took to the streets on Saturday marking the second anniversary of the Palestinian intifada.
A group of top Israeli cabinet ministers decided Sunday to ease the siege and to move troops back to the positions they occupied before the blockade began on September 20.
The team - led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and including Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon - announced that the troops currently stationed around the compound would withdraw, but will remain close by.
The Israeli army "will withdraw from the vicinity of [Arafat's compound] and redeploy so that it will be possible to ensure that wanted terrorists will not leave freely," said the government decision.
Shortly after this declaration, the Israeli army started removing the fence it erected around Arafat's offices. Soldiers stationed in Ramallah have been given orders to examine anyone leaving the compound, and to arrest those whose names appear on the Israeli army's list of wanted suspects.
Arafat himself accused Israel of continuing to violate Tuesday's United Nations Security Council resolution, which had demanded an end to the siege. "They are trying to deceive the Security Council," Arafat told reporters in his office minutes after Israeli troops rolled out of the compound, leaving behind shattered buildings around Arafat's office. He called the pullback a "cosmetic movement."
Arafat stressed no one would be turned over to Israel. "It must be known to everybody that we have not and will not turn any of our people in to the Israelis," Arafat said.
U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen entered the building immediately after Israeli troops left. "This is not the end of the crisis but a springboard to put us back on to political process" toward a peace agreement, said Mark Dennis, Larsen's spokesman.
The White House praised the withdrawal but said not only Israel but the Palestinians should act to bring peace. "The president is pleased with this development," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Sunday. "Both parties need to live up to the requirements for peace, stability, as well as reform in the Palestinian Authority." — (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
