Barak again urges Clinton's 'green light' for offensive

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has again urged the United States for its approval to launch an offensive against the Palestinian Authority.

Barak spoke to President Bill Clinton twice over Sunday and early Monday amid heavy fighting between Israeli and Palestinian Authority forces around Jerusalem. PA gunners targeted homes in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo and 19 homes were damaged in four hours of fighting.

The Israeli prime minister told Clinton that the "the situation was impossible and no country could tolerate this," Barak aides. They said Barak urged Clinton for a green light to launch a military campaign against the PA.

Clinton, amid the campaign trail for his wife Hillary, again called for restraint, the aides said. The aides said Clinton has urged PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to end the violence.

In Washington, White House officials said Clinton understands Barak's concerns. "We don't want to see a long time-out from the peace-making process," White House spokesman John Podesta said. "There has to be a way back. But under the circumstances today the first and foremost need is to get that violence under control and to reduce that level of violence."

On late Sunday, Israeli tanks and Cobra attack helicopters fired shells and missiles toward the sources of fire on Jerusalem. Israeli military sources said missiles were fired at neighboring Bet Jallah.

PA sources said nobody was injured in the fighting but buildings were damaged. "We are talking about a situation that has gone out of control," Bethlehem Governor Mohammed Jabari said.

On Monday, the Israeli army Monday blockaded Bet Jallah.

"I strongly suggest to the residents of Bet Jallah that if they allow shooting in the future from the houses in Beit Jallah, they should leave their homes because we will react," Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz said. "We reacted yesterday but I think we shouldn't have gotten to this point."

In Nablus, two Palestinian teenagers injured in clashes with the Israeli army died of their wounds.

In Hebron, Israeli and PA forces clashed in the city overnight Monday. Col. Noam Tivon, head of Israeli forces in the Hebron region, said that over the last three weeks the military has given its commanders more freedom in responding to Palestinian attacks.

Earlier, Barak aroused opposition within his Cabinet when he announced a "time-out" in and a reassessment of the peace process. Aides said under Barak's plan Israel would annex areas of the West Bank now under full Israeli control and allow the Palestinians to establish sovereignty over the rest of the area.

Jordan has harshly criticized Israel for its time-out policy.

"It's possible that the Arabs need to find an alternative option to the peace process," the Amman-based Arai daily said Monday.

Barak told his Cabinet on Sunday that he waited until the aftermath of the Arab League summit in Cairo for his announcement. "After the Arab summit, and in light of its results, we shall have to take a time out to reassess the situation in the political process in view of the events in the past few weeks," Barak said. "One must be politically and security blind to continue the process as though nothing has happened."

In response, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat told him to ''go to hell.''

Barak said Arafat continues to encourage violence against Israel and might not stop terrorist outrages. Barak said Arafat was trying to prompt international intervention in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as part of his efforts to expel Israel's presence in the area. He said this placed Israel in a situation where it faces a hostile front in the Palestinian areas as well as in Lebanon.

On Sunday, three Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinian gunmen shot at Israeli soldiers in Gaza, Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah.

Israeli security chiefs told the Cabinet that Arafat is in complete control in the PA areas. They said Arafat could end violence against Israel but prefers to score points in the international community by demonstrating Palestinian casualties.

"There is a danger of a deterioration in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in the north," Barak said. "There are preparations for attacks, public incitement, continuation of mass demonstrations and shooting incidents, and there is no security coordination, no arrest of freed terrorists and no restraining of violence."

But Barak's announcement encountered stiff resistance. Several ministers complained that Barak did not seek approval from his Cabinet on an issue that had significant ramifications.

"You don't need a time out for this," Transportation Minister Amnon Shahak said.