Israeli intelligence projects war in 2002
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, August 6, 2001
JERUSALEM Ñ Israeli sources said military intelligence has drafted a report that
warns of the increasing likelihood of regional war in 2002. The report said
the war could be sparked by either an Israeli offensive against the
Palestinian Authority or an escalation in tension along Israel's border with
Lebanon.
It was the first time that a military report raised the likelihood of
war over the next year. Earlier assessments by military intelligence
maintained that such countries as Egypt and Jordan would seek to halt Arab
plans for war.
But the military report said that in an Israeli-Palestinian war, Egypt
and Jordan could sever diplomatic links with Israel and come under great
pressure from their people to declare war against the Jewish state, Middle East Newsline reported.
The report, according to the sources, asserts that Palestinian Authority
Chairman Yasser Arafat maintains control over his people and the war against
Israel. Arafat, the report said, plans to continue the 10-month-old war
until he achieves significant political gains.
The Israeli assessment, details of which were also broadcast on Israeli
radio and television, came as the PA has escalated attacks in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip. Palestinian gunners fired at the Jerusalem neighborhood of
Gilo and four homes were damaged. Palestinians also fired mortars at Jewish
settlements in the Gaza Strip.
"There is a harsh quarrel over the Israeli response," Internal Security
Minister Uzi Landau said.
Overnight Sunday, Israeli attack helicopters attacked Palestinian
security agency headquarters in Rafah. Israeli tanks alss fired toward
Palestinian positions in the Bethlehem and Hebron areas.
For their part, Palestinians said Israeli attack helicopters fired three
missiles at the car of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. Barghouti escaped the
attack near Ramallah.
"We strongly condemn this attempted assassination and we place on Israel
all the responsibility for the consequences of such an escalation," a PA
statement said.
Israel denied an assassination attempt against Barghouti.
In a related development, the Jerusalem Post daily reported on Sunday
that the United States has agreed to establish a mechanism that would
monitor Egypt's use of military technology and its missile cooperation with
North Korea.
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