Arafat gets out of town before the trouble starts
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, May 16, 2001
RAMALLAH — Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat left for
abroad as his aides mounted widespread protests against Israel.
Despite Araft's urging, however, Palestinians largely
avoided protest rallies in which participants were expected to clash with
Israeli forces.
Palestinian sources said Arafat flew on Tuesday to Egypt where he met
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at a resort in Sharm e-Sheik to discuss the latest
Israeli attacks.
Palestinian sources said Arafat — who addressed Palestinians in a radio
address from Egypt — did not want to be in the PA areas during plans for
massive riots against Israel. Arafat aides have shut down government offices
and schools and have urged Palestinians to attend rallies throughout the
West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Palestinian sources said tens of thousands of Palestinian Authority
employees and students participated in rallies throughout the West Bank and
Gaza Strip to mark their opposition to Israel. But the number was way below
the 250,000 Palestinians expected to participate in massive anti-Israeli
protests.
The sources said with the exception of PA-aligned forces and students,
most Palestinians stayed home. They said this was probably in expectation
that the clashes would turn into a shootout between Palestinian and Israeli
forces.
Palestinian sources said Fatah's Tanzim militia has been the increasing
object of scorn by many Palestinians and in some areas, such as Bethlehem,
Palestinians have provided information on the whereabouts of Fatah gunners.
The sources said the Tanzim has extorted money from Palestinian residents
and merchants in such areas as Bethlehem and Ramallah.
In a related development, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is pressing
Arafat to visit Baghdad. PLO Central Committee chairman, who met Saddam,
said the Iraqi ruler was angry that Arafat has acceded to U.S. pressure
against visiting Baghdad.
On Tuesday, Palestinian sources said the bodyguard of Hamas leader Ahmed
Yassin was killed by an Israeli tank shell. Another six people were reported
injured.
Israeli sources said the bodyguard, Abdul Hakim Manama, was killed in an
Israeli shelling fire that responded to Palestinian mortar fire toward the
Israeli community of Nahal Oz. Another 14 Palestinians were said to have
been injured in a clash with Israeli forces near the Jewish settlement of
Netsarim.
Arafat defended the Palestinian conflict against Israel, saying it was a
war of independence that did not use the type of weapons Israel has
deployed. Arafat stressed that the Palestinians have the support of the
international community.
The theme of the PA-sponsored rallies is the Palestinian demand for the
right to return to their homes in what is now Israel. By noon on Tuesday,
clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces were reported throughout the
West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On the eve of his departure, Arafat warned Israel that the Palestinians
will avenge Israeli helicopter strikes against PA installations. Seven
Palestinians were killed on Monday in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip.
"They will not push us or threaten us," Arafat said. "We are not scared
and Israel should know it will pay for this crime."
Four Israelis and five Palestinians were injured in a three-hour clash
between Israeli and PA gunners. Palestinian gunners fired automatic fire
toward the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo and Israeli troops shelled
neighboring Bet Jallah.
Israeli military sources said one scenario they are preparing for is a
Palestinian mortar attack on Jerusalem. So far, the Palestinian gunners have
limited their mortar attacks to positions in and around the Gaza Strip.
Wednesday, May 16, 2001
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