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Democratic Change

Israel orders unilateral ceasefire

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, May 24, 2001

TEL AVIV — Israel has ordered its military to end the war against the Palestinians.

The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered an immediate ceasefire in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has ended all operations against the Palestinian Authority, including assassinations of suspected Islamic terrorists.

Israeli troops would be allowed to fire only if they are attacked, officials said. They said Israeli military incursions into PA-controlled territory would now require government approval. Until now, regional commanders could decide on their own to enter PA territory.

"The minister [Ben-Eliezer] has given orders to open fire only in cases of life-threatening danger," a Defense Ministry statement said. "Mr. Ben-Eliezer has in turn called on the Palestinian leadership to immediately stop acts of violence and terrorism."

On Tuesday night, Sharon announced a unilateral ceasefire and called on the Palestinians to do the same. The announcement came as U.S. diplomats held talks with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to implement the recommendations of the Mitchell commission.

"I call on our neighbors to immediately stop fire and return to the negotiations table," Sharon said.

Israeli officials said the ceasefire would continue despite Palestinian attacks. They said that by next week Sharon would review the security situation in Israel as well as in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

On late Tuesday, Palestinian gunners continued attacks on Jerusalem. The Palestinian shooting from the Bethlehem-suburb of Bet Jallah struck several homes in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

Fatah and Hamas leaders said they would not agree to a ceasefire before Israel concedes to Palestinian demands. They said the Palestinians regard their current war as a struggle for independence. Some leading combatants added that they would ignore any order by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to stop Palestinian attacks on Israeli positions.

Arafat, who met U.S. diplomats in Gaza, has not responded to the Sharon ceasefire. PA officials have dismissed the Israeli ceasefire as a public relations gimmick.

Following Wednesday's cabinet meeting, several cabinet ministers said the ceasefire would not last long because Arafat would not implement a Palestinian ceasefire.

Earlier, Palestinian sources said Israeli troops and tanks launched raids into three Palestinian-ruled areas in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military sources denied the reports.

In Jerusalem, internal security officials said they had uncovered a network of PA police officers headed by Gaza Police Commander Razi Jibali that manufactured motar bombs and hand grenades.

On Sunday, Israeli security officials arrested Saadi Ashi, who owns an iron works factory in Gaza. They said Ashi admitted to maunfacturing 10,000 mortar bombs and hand grenades and supplying them to the PA police. Ashi also said that some of the weapons were manufactured in the PA police headquarters in Gaza and he was trained in a workshop led by Jibali.

Israeli officials said the 120 mm mortar bombs were manufactured from aluminium in Ashi's factory and then filled with explosives at the PA police headquarters. The mortars have a longer range and higher explosive power.

Thursday, May 24, 2001


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