JERUSALEM Ñ Israel has taken what officials termed the first
step in ending the siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued a decision on
Sunday that allows Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Authority, to travel
freely throughout Ramallah. Officials said the decision will include the
redeployment of Israeli tanks about 200 meters from Arafat's headquarters
and is open for revision over the next few weeks.
"At this stage, the tight closure on Arafat's Ramallah headquarters will
be lifted," a statement by Israel's Ministerial Committee on National
Security Affairs said. "His departure from Ramallah will require a decision
by a forum, the composition of which will be decided upon by Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon in consultation with Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer."
An Israeli official said the Bush administration has quietly urged the
Sharon government to allow Arafat to leave the Palestinian areas for the
Arab League summit on March 27. The official said Sharon is expected to
honor the request from Washington.
Hours after the ministerial decision, Israeli tanks withdrew from
Ramallah as officials announced that other measures would be launched to
ease restrictions on Palestinians. The redeployment was followed by a series
of shootings near Israeli military checkpoints in which a Palestinian woman
was killed. Military sources said the woman ran toward the soldiers with a
knife.
Then the vehicle of Palestinian legislative chairman Ahmed Qurei also
came under Israeli military. Israeli leaders apologized for the shooting and
said soldiers on duty did not recognize Qurei.
The Israeli redeployment was implemented in wake of the Palestinian
arrest of three suspects
in the assassination of Israel Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi. Israel wants
the PA to extradite the suspects for trial.
Palestinian officials termed the Israeli redeployment meaningless. They
said Arafat has traveled throughout Ramallah in visits to nearby mosques and
hospitals.
