TEL AVIV Ñ Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has approved
plans to send 30 suicide bombers to Jerusalem, Israeli military intelligence
officers said.
The officers said Arafat approved plans for a combined effort by his
Fatah movement and such Islamic opposition groups as Hamas and Islamic Jihad
to send at least 30 suicide bombers to Jerusalem. The officers said
Jerusalem was chosen because of its symbolic importance to Arafat and his
efforts to convert the city into a Palestinian capital.
"The operation is meant to carry out Arafat's threat to send what he
terms a million martyrs to Jerusalem," an intelligence officer said. "When
Arafat talks of martyrs, he means suicide bombers."
In all, the officers said, nearly 100 suicide attackers are being
prepared for missions in Israeli cities. They said the attackers are being
equipped with explosive belts and trained on how to avoid Israeli troops and
cross from the West Bank into the Jewish state.
Over the weekend, Arafat pledged to send millions of martyrs to
Jerusalem. In an interview with the Doha-based A-Jazeera satellite channel,
Arafat urged Palestinians to participate in what he termed a mission of
martyrdom.
"To Jerusalem we march, martyrs by the millions," Arafat said in a
chant. "To Jerusalem we march, martyrs by the millions. To Jerusalem we
march, martyrs by the millions."
On late Monday, a Palestinian bomber blew himself up in his car in
Jerusalem. Israeli authorities said the attacker was on his way to the
downtown district when he was stopped by a police officer. At that point,
the bomber detonated his explosives, killing the officer.
The bomber was identified as an 18-year-old Fatah agent from the
Dehaishe refugee camp south of Bethlehem. An earlier suicide bomber was
identified as a Palestinian security officer who worked for the Preventive
Security Apparatus.
Earlier, Israeli intelligence officials said Arafat has not been
affected by
the Israeli military siege on his office. Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser, head
of the intelligence research division, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and
Defense Committee on Monday that Arafat does not feel threatened by Israel
and seeks to destroy the morale of Israelis through repeated suicide
bombings.
Israeli tanks and troops continued their offensive in the West Bank.
Israeli forces launched search-and-destroy operations in such cities as
Bethlehem, Kalkilya and Tulkarm.
On Tuesday, Israeli attack helicopters and tanks shelled the
headquarters of the Preventive Security Apparatus in the Ramallah suburb of
Betunia. The headquarters, operated by Col. Jibril Rajoub, is said to be
serving as a safe haven for more than 100 Palestinians wanted by Israel in
connection with suicide bombings.
