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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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