Israel Resource Review |
3rd November, 1998 |
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Brinkmanship on a Lame Duck Plantation
by David Bedein
Media Research Analyst
I spent the good part of a week covering the middle east talks at the Wye
Plantation, on the Eastern shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, USA,
in an area that is best known for duck hunting.
Indeed, in October of each year, duck hunters and environmentalists usually
face off in acrimonious confrontations.
This year, duck wars gave way to three lame ducks who came to the hunt
with Israel - a US president under the threat of impeachment, an Arafat
who has suffered a series of neurological sezures, and a King Hussein who
is the last stages of a valiant fight against Lymphatic cancer.
The advisors to Israel Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu tell me that he
has agreed to a deal with the leaders of the US, Jordan and the nascent
Palestine Authority on the assumption that their leaders will not and
cannot deliver or fulfill the terms of any such deal.
The rationale of the people around Netanyahu for this new version of Bibi
brinkmanship has it that the Israeli Prime Minister has gone the extra
mile to provide the Palestine Authority with the dignity that it sought,
so that it can run a decent society for its own people.
That is because the consensus of Israeli society in the late 1990's is to make
maganimous offers of territory and economic assistance so that Palestinian
Arabs will no longer represent a threat to the people or to the state of
Israel.
The reciprical demands of the Israeli government seem to most logical
and reasonable - that the Palestinians cancel their declaration of war
against the state of Israel as embodied in the PLO charter that Arafat has
advocated for more than thirty years, and that the Palestine Authority stop
providing safe havens for Arabs who will murder Jews and then take asylum
inside the territory under Palestinian control.
Netanyahu's advisors simply assume that Arafat and the Palestine Authority
will not fulfill these two basic requests.
They assume that Arafat and his Palestine National Council will continue
to communicate a language of war in Arabic to their own people, while
talking a language of peace to the western media.
They assume that the new Palestinian schools and Palestinian media will
continue to inculcate the PLO covenant to a new generation of Palestinian
youngsters.
They assume that killers of Jews wil continue to be acclaimed as heroes in
the Palestinian community, and they assume that Hamas and other terror
groups will continue to operate with a relatively free hand in the areas
under the control of the Palestine Authority.
They assume that the Palestine Authority will continue to encourage the
three million residents of United Nations refugee camps to assert their
right to return to the homes and villages that they left in 1948, even if
those villages no longer exist.
Bibi's advisors assume that Netanyahu will be able to display the PA
unwillingness and/or inability to reach an agreement with Israel.
Yet what Netanyahu's advisors have not counted on is that the public
relations
apparatus of the Palestine Authority is well placed, so that . . .
if the Palestine Authority does not convene the Palestine National Council,
if the PA does not change the message in its schools and its media,
if the PA continues to provide safe havens for killers,
if the PA continues to advocate the "right of return" for Palestinian
refugees to reclaim the rest of Palestine,
if the PA continues to allow terrorists to operate within its midst . . .
The PA knows that it can count on world opinion, international media
and, yes, Jewish communities around the world and the Israeli government's
opposition to downplay Palestinian violations.
That is because Palestinian Arabs have positioned themselves in the world
as the underdog in the middle east conflict.
Tragically, the current Israeli government has no public relations
apparatus in place to cope with such a "PR onslaught" in the near future.
That means that the PR offensive for Israel in the world public opinion
will rest on private initiative.
Return to Contents
Ex-Weapons Inspector Ritter:
Don't Count on Us Monitoring of Wye
by Danna Harman
The Jerusalem Post
3rd November, 1998
Ritter is a former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.
Question: I understand you have some concerns regarding the
implementation of the Wye accord?
Ritter: Yes, indeed. The accord is to be monitored by the CIA,
but the real arbiter will be the State Department, and this is a
cause for great worry. The entire effort has been politicized -
this is the Clinton administration's own Camp David, and they
really cannot afford to let it fail. Therefore they cannot be
counted upon to be honest brokers.
Question: In what way do you mean dishonest?
Ritter: Both because the administration wants the accord to work
and because they are trying to court the moderate Arab countries,
they are more than likely to give the Palestinians slack. For
example, if they receive information from the CIA saying the
Palestinians are not complying with the agreement, they will simply
overlook it. The temptation to gloss over things will be too
strong to ignore, because to hold the Palestinians strictly
accountable would endanger the whole process.
Question: What has lead you to these conclusions?
Ritter: During my time with UNSCOM, it became very clear to me
that Iraq was not being held accountable, and this is an unsettling
precedent. The US makes decisions based on politics, not on
honesty, and this leads to compromises and concessions. I had a
bad experience in Iraq which taught me the US can say one thing,
and do another. In addition, I have noted a cooling towards Israel
on the part of the State Department, coupled with an unrealistic
expectation that Arafat can deliver. It is very important for the
US that Arafat not be undermined, and if this means you have to
turn a blind eye to an effective crackdown on Hamas, so be it.
Question: Israel has its own ways of monitoring what is going on,
and Netanyahu is not one to allow himself to be bamboozled . . .
Ritter: True, but the Israelis will be faced with so much pressure
from the US and the international community that it will be near
impossible to say "Wait, the US not being a good monitor."
Return to Contents
Update on Iraq:
The US Suddenly Wakes Up?
by Laurie Mylroie
Middle East policy analyst
Editor, Iraq News, Washington
An Israeli reader reported that at the Likud Central Committee
meeting on the Wye accord, some members criticized the Gov't for relying
on the US to enforce Palestinian compliance with the provisions on
fighting terrorism, citing the US failure to support weapons inspections
in Iraq. Itzhak Mordechai, the defense minister, responded by saying,
"America led the attack against Iraq." The reader suggested that
"Mordechai is not the brightest."
Indeed, The Jerusalem Post, Oct 20, reported that David Ivry, a senior
adviser to the Israel Defense Minister, warned in an Oct 19 BIPAC [Britain
Israeli Public Affairs Center] conference that "While attention and
resources [of the West] are focused on economic and social issues, there
has been a general decline in budgetary commitments to defense and
security issues. . . . Democratic states are attempting to compensate for
their reduced deterrence with international treaties. . . . 'Such
thinking ignores the failure of the treaties and focuses on what is seen
as accomplishments.' . . . Ivry also warned that while the US 'is not
reacting like it did in the past,' ballistic missiles are proliferating
among non-democratic states, coupled with a race to acquire weapons of
mass destruction, particularly chemical and biological weapons.
'Ignoring this,' he said, 'could prove costly,' adding that 'we face
especially serious consequences' as a result of the failure of the
UNSCOM inspections in Iraq."
The Washington Times, Oct 28, in a squib entitled "Saddam's Demise",
reported, "Longtime Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein isn't long for this
world, says one of this nation's top spies. John Gannon, chairman of
the CIA's National Intelligence Council, told a St. Louis audience
earlier this month, 'We expect Iraq's Saddam to be gone by 2010.'
Mindful that earlier predictions on this score have failed to
materialize, Mr. Gannon conceded that his assessment is 'based as much
on pure speculation on our past as informed analysis.'"
The Iraqi statement suspending UNSCOM monitoring, issued Sat by the
RCC/Ba'th Party leadership, said, "Iraq has decided to stop all forms of
cooperation with UNSCOM and its chairman and to stop all its activities
inside Iraq, including monitoring, as from today." But a few hours
later, it was reported that Iraq would allow UNSCOM cameras and sensors
to continue functioning. However, late that evening, Iraq's UN
ambassador, Nizar Hamdoon, said that inspectors would have no access to
cameras or monitoring installations.
On Sunday, November 1, the BBC reported that Iraqi Vice President Taha
Yassin Ramadan confirmed Iraq's position with "three noes." Ramadan said,
"There will be no co-operation, no inspections, and no monitoring by the
US-Zionist spy commission until Iraq's demands are met." The BBC said
"the international community now effectively has no eyes or ears in
Iraq."
ABC Evening News, yesterday, characterized the Clinton administration's
response, "It's an old script." On Sat, UPI, Oct 31, reported that NSC
Adviser Sandy Berger, Sec State Madeleine Albright, CIA Director George
Tenet, and other top officials met for two hours over Iraq.
Clinton was in Virginia golfing and Berger briefed him
afterwards. NSC spokesman, David Leavy, said, "We are reviewing all
options with the president and all options remain on the table . . .
This is an affront to the UN and the international community."
Also, on Sat, Sec Def William Cohen and the JCS chairman, who were
about to begin a week-long Asian tour, turned around during a refueling
stop on Wake Island and returned to Wash DC. On Sun, Cohen joined the
national security team in another two hour meeting. AP, Nov 1, in a
story entitled "Immediate Action Vs. Iraq Unlikely," reported that "the
Clinton administration appeared ready to let the Security Council take
the lead, and there seemed little chance of an immediate military
response. . . . No additional US forces were being moved to the Persian
Gulf region, and US forces had not been placed on alert, said Pentagon
spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Cooper."
AP also reported that on Sun, November
1,Clinton, out campaigning for Tuesday's elections, gave an
interview to American Urban Radio Network, in which he said, "I
personally am very pleased that the UN Security Council,
including some people I thought had been a little tolerant with
[Saddam] in the past, strongly condemned what he did."
Iraq is not much impressed. Asked by Qatar's Al-Jazirah Space
Channel, "Does Baghdad not fear that Washington will use this Iraqi
stand as a pretext to make a move that will not be in the interest of
Iraq?" Nizar Hamdoon replied, "I do not believe there is anything worse
than our current situation and than the very negative impact of the
continued economic sanctions on the Iraqi people. More than 6,000
children die each month as a result of the sanctions. And this is
documented in UNICEF reports. What could be worse?" He was then asked,
"It seems, however, that Washington is leaning toward escalation. The
National Security Council described the Iraqi decision as very serious.
What are the possibilities of the US dealing a military blow to Iraq?"
Hamdoon replied, "This kind of statement is not new. We heard it in the
past. Making statements is one thing and implementing them is another.
Finally, as the latest stage of the confrontation began, yesterday
Iraq opened the biggest int'l trade fair it has held since the Gulf
war's end. As Reuters, Nov 1, reported, trade, industry, and economic
ministers from Iran, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, and Syria attended the
opening, while firms from Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia participated for
the first time. AP reported that France shipped in the latest-model
Peugeot sedans.
I. Taha Yassin Ramadan's Three Noes
BBC, Nov 1, 1998
Iraq Says No, No, No; Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan: No
Co-operation
Iraq has confirmed that it will not reverse its decision to stop
co-operating with the UN disarmament team. Iraqi Vice President Taha
Yassin Ramadan said: "There will be no co-operation, no inspections and
no monitoring [of Iraqi sites] by the US-Zionist spy commission until
Iraq's demands are met."
He reiterated Iraq's demands for a lifting of the embargo imposed
after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
"We will not reverse our decision but we will maintain it until the
embargo is lifted," Mr Ramadan said.
The BBC's correspondent in Baghdad, Richard Downes says the sanctions,
which have strangled the Iraqi economy, are a source of deep anger in
Baghdad and it is the country's number one priority to get rid of them.
Iraq has also demanded the restructuring of the UN Special Commission
for disarmament, and that its chairman, Richard Butler is sacked.
Baghdad has long been accusing Mr Butler of working on behalf of the
United States to prolong the embargo.
The sanctions cannot be lifted until the Special Commission (Unscom)
certifies that Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq insists it has done so, but the commission says Baghdad
continues to hide information on weapons, especially those with
biological and chemical agents.
The Security Council has unanimously condemned the decision and
demanded that it be reversed "immediately and unconditionally".
But on Sunday the Unscom team stayed in its compound. Our
correspondent says that the international community now effectively has
no eyes or ears in Iraq. Only a team from the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), in charge of the nuclear folder in Iraq's
disarmament, has been allowed to carry on working.
But it is only being allowed to monitor previously inspected sites.
The Iraqis have been refusing to allow either Unscom or the IAEA to
carry out spot inspections in the country since early August.
Correspondents say the latest move is an escalation in the continuing
dispute over inspections with Iraq believing there is no stomach in the
international community for a major confrontation.
II. Nizar Hamdoon, the US Won't Do Anything
Doha Qatar al-Jazirah Space Channel,
Television in Arabic
0635 GMT 1 Nov 98
[Telephone interview with Nizar Hamdun, Iraq's permanent representative
at the United Nations, in New York "conducted a short while ago" by
'Abd-al-Samad Nasir in the studio; recorded]
[FBIS Translated Text] [Nasir] What are the motives behind Iraq's
decision to end cooperation with UN inspectors at this time in
particular?
[Hamdun] Iraq's decision was not taken in a hasty way. It took us
several weeks since the idea of comprehensive revision emerged. Deputy
Prime Minister Tariq 'Aziz led a large delegation to New York to hold
lengthy talks with the Security Council and the UN secretary general.
After realizing that all these attempts failed to give Iraq guarantees
that these revisions would be fair and just, Iraq took its recent
decision not to deal with the UN Special Commission.
[Nasir] What does Iraq hope to achieve through this decision?
[Hamdun] We hope that the entire world will understand the causes behind
this Iraqi decision. The decision was taken after long bitter years of
unfair treatment by UNSCOM and the United States with its anti-Iraq
policy behind it.
[Nasir] Does Baghdad not fear that Washington will use this Iraqi stand
as a pretext to make a move that will not be in the interest of Iraq?
[Hamdun] I do not believe there is anything worse than our current
situation and than the very negative impact of the continued economic
sanctions on the Iraqi people. More than 6,000 children die each month
as a result of the sanctions. And this is documented in UNICEF reports.
What could be worse?
[Nasir] It seems, however, that Washington is leaning toward escalation.
The National Security Council described the Iraqi decision as very
serious. What are the possibilities of dealing a US military blow to
Iraq?
[Hamdun] This kind of statement is not new. We heard it in the past.
Making statements is one thing and implementing them is another thing. I
do not believe that the use of military force against Iraq will
benefit the United States. Also, the situation in the region will not
allow the United States to go that far.
[Nasir] How do you assess the stands of China, Russia, and France, which
supported the Security Council stand? Do you believe that Baghdad has
lost some of its allies?
[Hamdun] I do not believe so. These countries are fully aware of the
Iraqi concerns. They might have been forced, under certain balances, to
agree with the United States on issuing the Security Council
resolution. These international parties understand well the situation
and the Iraqi stand vis-a-vis UNSCOM.
[Nasir] How do you view the future relationship between Baghdad and the
United Nations?
[Hamdun] The relationship between Iraq and the United Nations is one
thing and the relationship between Iraq and UNSCOM is something else. I
do not believe that the relationship between Iraq and the UNSCOM will be
as good as it was over the past seven and a half years. Iraq has reached
a point where it cannot continue with the same dealings, which does not
give Iraq any hope to lift the sanctions. If there will be no lifting of
sanctions why should Iraq bear all these problems and concerns with
UNSCOM?
[Nasir] What is Iraq's other alternative then?
[Hamdun] I believe that the economic sanctions themselves will start to
erode in terms of their impact. It seems that the United States is not
willing to move toward taking any steps that would lead to a
partial or complete lifting of the sanctions. This is what the US
delegation announced at the Security Council yesterday and this,
perhaps, was the straw that broke the camel's back.
[Description of source: Independent Television station financed by the
Qatari Government]
III. Iraq Hosts Largest Trade Fair Since Gulf War
AP, 1st November, 1998
Baghdad, Iraq (AP) -- France shipped in the latest-model Peugeot sedans.
The Palestinians brought handmade inlaid boxes from Bethlehem. Iranians
came with refrigerators and pharmaceuticals.
They're among 30 countries taking part in the Baghdad International
Fair that opened Sunday, billed as the largest in Iraq since the 1991
Persian Gulf War.
The turnout "shows the increasing desire of companies to establish
relations with Iraq," the fair's director, Fawzi Hussein al-Dahur, told
the official Iraqi News Agency.
The 10-day fair opened a day after Iraq took a new stand against U.N.
weapons inspections, announcing it was halting the work of weapons
monitors until the Security Council moves toward lifting 8-year-old
trade sanctions against the country.
As the finishing touches were being put on the pavilions Saturday,
participants acknowledged they saw only limited trade opportunities
while the U.N. sanctions remain in place.
"Iraq is a good potential market for us," said Servet Akkaynak,
standing amid asphalt cutters and electrical generators from Turkey. "We
had a long history of trade, and we're high on re-establishing
ourselves."
One visitor receiving close attention was Iranian Commerce Minister
Mohammad Shariatmadari, one of the highest-ranking Iranian officials to
come to Iraq since the two countries fought a brutal, eight-year war in
the 1980s.
After meeting Saturday with Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi
Saleh, Shariatmadari announced that the two countries would set up joint
committees to discuss trade and commercial ventures, INA said.
Egypt -- with 58 companies constituting one of the largest delegations
-- showed everything from tractors and reapers to children's clothes,
fruit juice and corn oil.
"This is a good opportunity for Egyptian companies to make contacts
for the future," said Antoun Labib, director of the Egyptian
international exhibitions office.
Still, many vendors won't find buyers until the sanctions are lifted.
The sanctions, imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, ban most
business dealings, except under the special, U.N.-approved oil-for-food
program.
Saturday's refusal to allow monitors from the United Nations to work
-- which strengthened an August ban on spot inspections -- was meant to
push for ending the sanctions. But the Security Council termed the
action a "flagrant violation" of U.N. resolutions and urged Baghdad to
reverse its decision.
At the Peugeot booth, Iraqi dealer Sadir Bazagan said the shiny
burgundy, blue and olive green Peugeot 406s on display would be shipped
out of Iraq after the show in compliance with the U.N. sanctions. He
noted that Iraqi streets are crowded with Peugeots, but that most date
to the early and mid-1980s.
"There was a big market here before the Gulf War," he said. "We are
all waiting anxiously for the future."
Return to Contents
Senior Palestinian Official:
PNC Will Not Convene to Amend the Covenant
communicated by the Israel Government Press Office
This is the first in a series of periodic updates on issues relating to
Palestinian compliance with the October 23, 1998 Wye River Memorandum. This
update focuses on the Palestinian obligation to amend the PLO Covenant
which calls for Israel's destruction.
The Palestinian Commitment at Wye
The Wye agreement states (Article II, Paragraph C(2)) that the PLO
Executive Committee and the Palestinian Central Council will reaffirm
Yasser Arafat's January 22, 1998 letter to President Clinton concerning the
nullification of problematic articles in the PLO Covenant.
Subsequently, according to the agreement, "PLO Chairman Arafat, the Speaker
of the Palestine National Council, and the speaker of the Palestinian
Council will invite the members of the PNC, as well as the members of the
Central Council, the Council, and the Palestinian Heads of Ministries to a
meeting to be addressed by President Clinton to reaffirm their support for
the peace process and the aforementioned decisions of the Executive
Committee and the Central Council."
The Palestinian Position Since Wye
1) Following is an October 26, 1998 Voice of Israel radio interview with
chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. The interview was conducted in
English.
"Well, once again, I think the PNC met in 1996 and all articles that were
inconsistent with the letters exchanged in 1993 between the Government of
Israel and the PLO were changed. And later, President Arafat wrote
President Clinton a letter on the 22nd of January 1998 specifying the
articles that were either nullified or amended.
And it was agreed at the Wye River that the PLO Central Council will meet
to ratify the letter of President Arafat to President Clinton. And then it
was agreed that the members of the PNC [Palestinian National Council], the
members of the Legislative Council, the labor unions, women's organizations
and all political systems will attend a meeting at which President Clinton
will address all these issues.
The PLO will not convene in terms of officially ratifying the articles that
were changed. It is the Palestine Central Council, and the agreement is
very specific on this."
2) In an October 26, 1998 interview on official Palestinian Authority
television, Saeb Erekat said, "the PNC members, the Legislative Council,
the Central Council, women's groups and labor unions will all convene to
listen to Clinton, but not to vote [on changing the Covenant]."
3) On October 26, 1998, the official Palestinian Authority newspaper
Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda published the text of the Wye River Memorandum, but the
section referring to the PLO Covenant was altered and makes no mention of
the PNC changing the Covenant. The newspaper's version reads as follows:
"PLO Chairman Arafat, the Speaker of the Palestine National Council, and
the speaker of the Palestinian Central Council will invite the members of
the PNC, the members of the Central Council and the members of the
Palestinian Government to a meeting at which President Clinton will speak
to reaffirm his [Clinton's] support for the peace process."
Return to Contents
Palestinian Comments on the Wye River Memorandum
MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9
27th October, 1998
Palestinian Comments on the Wye River Memorandum
Following is a summary of the comments found in the Palestinian media
regarding
the treaty signed on Friday between Israel and the PLO.
Changing the Palestinian Covenant
Unlike the English version of the memorandum, according to which the meeting
addressed by Mr. Clinton will "reaffirm the decisions of the Executive
Committee and the Central Council regarding the amendment of the Covenant,"
the
Arabic version printed in the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida states that it will
be President Clinton who will "reaffirm his commitment to the peace process."
1 No Palestinian reaffirmation is mentioned.
This Palestinian version was repeated in a comment made on Palestinian
television by the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, Saib Ereiqat, who
said, "members of the Palestinian National Council [PNC], Palestinian
Legislative Council [PLC], the Central Council, women's organizations and
trade
unions will convene to listen to Clinton, not to vote."2
Security Arrangements
The head of the Gaza preventive security apparatus, Muhammad Dahlan, stated
categorically that the Palestinians rejected all Israeli terms regarding
security. The Palestinian security apparatus will fight only the military,
not
the political, organizations. Therefore, the political organizations will not
be outlawed. When asked whether a formula for fighting terrorism was adopted,
he answered that no such formula existed, and that the Palestinians rejected
the Israeli demand to act against institutions and against activities in the
Mosques. The Palestinians, he continued, also rejected the Israeli demand to
participate in the Palestinian plan for action or to see it.3
On the issue of confiscating illegal weapons, Dahlan stated that there is no
agreement on lowering the number of weapons in the PA's possession. On the
contrary, he claimed that the Palestinians demand more weapons for their
security apparatuses, and Israel is still withholding one thousand rifles that
belong to the Palestinian people.4
About lowering the number of Palestinian policemen, Dahlan indicated that the
Palestinians do not intend to lower their number. He said "we have no problem
providing one list of policemen and another list of policemen who do
administrative work and are unarmed."5
Dahlan said that CIA involvement will be of a "political nature" and that "the
fact that it will act as an arbitrator is serving [Palestinian] interests."6
Ideological Changes
Palestinian leaders addressed the implications of the agreement on both
Zionist
and Palestinian ideologies. The agreement's supporters, such as Minister of
Supplies in the PA, Abd Al `Aziz Shahin stated that the Israeli right-wing
government's readiness to give away territory indicates that the Zionist
ideology is crumbling and that the PLO will succeed in fulfilling its platform
sooner or later.7
Secretary-General of the Presidency, Al Tayyeb Abd al Rahim, said to the Voice
of Palestine Radio that the agreement represents the collapse of Israeli
ideology and that Clinton's commendation to Arafat for the many years he led
the struggle of his people represents "an admission that the years-long
struggle of the Palestinians is not regarded as terrorism."8
Col. Muhammad Al-Masri, columnist in the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, said
that
the Israeli side was guided by "Jewish merchant tactics" in discussing every
single detail in order "to trap" the Palestinian side. But the agreement
"marks the defeat of the Torah ideology" because those right-wing forces in
Israel who waved the banners of "Greater Israel" from the Nile to the
Euphrates and the "security" of Israel have now joined the negotiations in
order to negotiated Palestinian lands that are considered by the Torah
ideology
to be the land of Israel.9
While the Palestinian spokesmen point to the changes in Zionist ideology the
Palestinian ideological firmness was reasserted. Fatah member of the PLC Fuad
`Id said that the agreement is just "one step in the path we have marched for
fifty years."10 Secretary-General of the Fatah in the West Bank, Marwan Al
Barghuthi, commended Arafat for stating that there will be no concession on
Palestinian axioms that include the Right of Return, the Right to Self
Determination, and the Establishment of an Independent State on the
entirety of
the Palestinian land with Jerusalem as its capital.11 Head of the Education
Committee of the PLC and member of the Fatah Central Council, Abbas Zaki, said
that the Palestinians have talked about an independent state since the ten
points plan, [namely, since the "strategy of phases" plan of 1974.]12
Conditionality
In the negotiations Israel demanded that Israeli concessions would be carried
out only if the Palestinian Authority complies with its commitments. Prime
Minister Netanyahu stated in several interviews that this conditionality was
established in the agreement.
Contrary to the Israeli claim that Israeli fulfillment of its part of the
agreement is conditional on Palestinian compliance, Palestinians say their
compliance is conditional on Israeli compliance and they will only act if
Israel fights terrorist acts by Israeli extremists.
Head of the Preventive Security Apparatus in Gaza, Muhammad Dahlan stated in
the interview with Al-Ayyam, "I cannot arrest a Palestinian citizen who killed
an Israeli and at the same time give the Israeli the right to commit terrorist
acts against Palestinians, for a simple reason: my primary security mission
is,
as we have said since the first day of the Gaza- Jericho agreement, to protect
Palestinian security and defend Palestinian citizens."13
Minister of Supplies in the PA, Abd Al `Aziz Shahin, reiterated Arafat's oft
stated refrain that the PA will not act like the SLA [the South Lebanese Army,
which fights alongside Israel against the Hezbollah].14
Columnist Fuad Abu Hijleh said that the Palestinians also have
"lists of wanted Jews who committed terrorist acts and the
government of Israel rewarded by releasing them with a bail that
is lower than the price of a pack of cigarettes." The CIA's
mission, according to Abu Hijleh, is to make sure that Israeli
killers and blood spillers are punished in really detering
manner. "We call for action based on the principle of an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."15
The Palestinian Intentions Regarding May 5, 1999
Israeli media interpreted some clauses in the agreement as
indicating that the Palestinians will refrain from declaring an
independent Palestinian state on May 5, 1999. Arafat, in his
White House Speech, as well a day later in Vienna, said only
that the Palestinian people have the right to declare an
independent state. In the local Palestinian media, however, PA
and Fatah leaders continue to state that declaration of an
independent state is still being planned for May 5, 1999. Abbas
Zaki, head of the Education Committee in the PLC, and member of
the Fatah Central Committee, stated categorically that with the
end of the interim period in May 1999, a Palestinian declaration
of independence cannot be regarded as a "unilateral act" that
violates the agreement.16
Secretary of the Fatah in Jenin,
Qaddura Musa stated that the struggle must go on until the
fulfillment of all of the Palestinian people's national rights
in their entirety.17
Marwan Al-Barghuthi stated that the agreement threatens the
Palestinian national unity. Nevertheless he called upon the
Palestinian public to cooperate with the agreement on the basis
of its being the continued liberation of Palestinian land from
the hands of the occupiers. "The agreement demonstrates," he
said, "the Palestinian national determination to achieve victory
and create the state on the Palestinian land in its
entirety."18 Quddura
said "The Fatah movement has led the Palestinian
struggle on the path and should continue the
journey."19
1Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, October 26, 1998
2Palestnian Television, October 26, 1998
3Al-Ayyam, October 26, 1998
4Ibid.
5Ibid.
6Ibid.
7Ibid.
8Ibid.
9Ibid.
10Ibid.
11Ibid.
12Ibid.
13Ibid.
14Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, October 26, 1998
15Ibid.
16Ibid.
17Ibid.
18Ibid.
19Ibid.
Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI)
1815 H Street, NW
Suite 404
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-mail: MEMRI@erols.com
[MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be cited with
proper attribution.]
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A Police Chief Calls Wye Accord a Temporary Truce
Jabali Says PA Will Issue Gun Licenses to Fugitives Wanted by
Israel
by Aaron Lerner
IMRA
Following are remarks made by Palestinian Police Chief Col. Ghazi
Jabali which were broadcast on official Palestinian Authority
television on October 30, 1998, one week after the signing of the
Wye River Memorandum between Israel and the PLO.
On the Wye accord with Israel:
"We wish to build an independent state and to build our nation -
even the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, accepted the
Khudaibiya agreement, which contained unjust conditions".
Note: The Khudaibiya agreement referred to by Col. Jabali was
signed by Muhammad and the Arabian tribe of Koreish. The pact,
slated to last for ten years, was broken within two years, when the
Islamic forces - having used the peace pact to become stronger -
conquered the Koreish tribe.
On issuing gun licenses:
"There is a law for the licensing of weapons. Every respectable
person, every respectable politician, every respectable businessman
submits a request and we give it to him. The weapons license is
for pistols and it is granted to businessmen, dignitaries,
politicians, wanted fugitives, people involved in blood feuds".
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
P.O.BOX 982 Kfar Sava
Tel: (+972-9) 760-4719
Fax: (+972-9) 741-1645
imra@netvision.net.il
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Letter from UNRWA Official
by Ron Wilkinson
David Bedein's article "Why is the Shuafat
Refugee Camp Seething?" (Israel Resource
Review, October 13) outlines some of the urgent problems facing refugee
camp residents, but it unfairly places the blame on the wrong party.
The following outlines some of the services the UNWRA provides in Shuafat:
Schooling for 1,571 children and a new girls' school being built at a cost
of over $1 million donated by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD); medical
care at a clinic which has more than 35,000 patient visits a year;
environmental sanitation through a sewage and surface water drainage
project, including asphalting of streets, at a cost of $1 million, also
funded by SFD; and a new community center which houses UNRWA-assisted
programs for women, the disabled and youth, a testament to the agency's
help to these groups.
There is close coordination between UNRWA and the camp committee on
community-based activites and awareness campaigns. This cooperation is
leading to the setting up of a children's park with UNRWA's technical
assistance and support.
The writer points out the crowded conditions of the camp - which has an
area of 203 dunams and a population of over 8,000. With a growing
population and no more space for building housing, the refugees themselves
are adding storeys to their houses. UNRWA does not build houses.
Shuafat is located within the boundaries of the municipality of Jerusalem,
so many responsibilities lie in the hands of the municipal government, such
as the provision of adequate supplies of clean water, refuse collection and
links to the muncipal sewage system. Shuafat does not belong to UNRWA, nor
does any other refugee camp. The agency only provides services in camps.
UNRWA's mandate is regularly renewed by the UN General Assembly and it has
no intention of giving up its responsibilities to provide services in
Shuafat camp or in any other Palestine refugee camp.
Ron Wilkinson
Chief, Public Information Office, UNRWA
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U.S. Letters of Assurance to Israel
Embassy of the United States of America
Tel Aviv
October 30, 1998
Mr. Dani Naveh
Cabinet Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem
Dear Dani,
I wanted to confirm our policy on the issues of Reciprocity/Parallelism,
Permanent Status Negotiations, and Prisoner Releases. In this regard, the
statements issued publicly by the State Department on October 29, 1998, are
accurate and represent our policies.
On Reciprocity/Parallelism, the statement said: "resolving the crisis of
confidence between Israelis and Palestinians requires each side to fulfill
a set of responsibilities based on the concept of reciprocity. I.E., both
sides must carry out their respective obligations in accordance with the
Wye River Memorandum. These obligations will be implemented or carried out
in a parallel phased approach in accordance with the mutually agreed Time
Line."
As for Permanent Status Negotiations, the statement said: "the U.S. is
highly sensitive to the vital importance of the permanent status issues to
Israel's future. We recognize that the security of the State of Israel and
the Israeli public is at stake, and the U.S. commitment to Israel's
security remains ironclad."
"We appreciate that if the U.S. is invited by both parties to participate
in the permanent status talks, which are to be conducted between Israel and
the Palestinians on a bilateral basis, we will do so for the purpose of
facilitating the negotiations."
"Only Israel can determine its own security needs and decide what solutions
will be satisfactory."
"We also understand that any decision to convene or seek to convene a
summit to resolve permanent status issues will need the agreement of both
parties."
With regard to the issue of prison releases and the question of a
"revolving door", the statement said: "we have had discussions with the
Palestinians and they have given us a firm commitment that there will be no
'revolving door'."
These public statements by the State Department represent our policies. We
will not change them and they will remain our policies in the future.
Sincerely,
Edward S. Walker Jr.
Ambassador
U.S. State Department
Washington, D.C.
October 30, 1998
Mr. Dani Naveh
Cabinet Secretary
Government of Israel
Dear Mr. Naveh,
I wanted to provide further clarification of the understanding of the
United States regarding one of the issues addressed in the "Wye River
Memorandum."
With respect to the Palestinian side's provision of its list of policemen
to Israel (II(C)(1)(a)), the U.S. has been assured that it will receive all
appropriate information concerning current and former policemen as part of
our assistance program. It is also our understanding that it was agreed by
the two sides that the total number of Palestinian policemen would not
exceed 30,000.
Sincerely,
Dennis B. Ross
Special Middle East Coordinator
Embassy of the United States of America
Tel Aviv
October 29, 1998
Mr. Dani Naveh
Cabinet Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem
Dear Dani,
I wanted to confirm our policy on the issue of the 3rd phase of further
redeployment. In this regard, the statement issued publicly by the State
Department on October 27, 1998, is accurate and represents our policy.
Regarding the third further redeployment, the statement said: "during the
discussions leading to this agreement, the U.S. made clear to both parties
that it will not adopt any position or express any view about the size or
the content of the third phase of Israel's further redeployment, which is
an Israeli responsibility to implement rather than negotiate."
"Under the terms of the memorandum, an Israeli-Palestinian committee is
being established. Nonetheless we urge the parties not to be distracted
from the urgent task of negotiating permanent status arrangements, which
are at the heart of the matter and which will determine the future of the area."
"Our own efforts have been and will continue to be dedicated to that vital
task."
This public statement by the State Department represents our policy. We
will not change it and it will remain our policy in the future.
Sincerely,
Edward S. Walker, Jr.
Ambassador
Embassy of the United States of America
Tel Aviv
October 29, 1998
Mr. Dani Naveh
Cabinet Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem
Dear Dani,
I wanted to confirm our policy on the issues of unilateral actions and the
Charter of the PLO. In this regard, the statements issued publicly by the
State Department on October 27, 1998, are accurate and represent our policies.
With regard to unilateral declarations or other unilateral actions, the
statement said: "as regards to the possibility of a unilateral decision of
statehood or other unilateral actions by either party outside the
negotiating process that prejudge or predetermine the outcome of those
negotiations, the U.S. opposes and will oppose any such unilateral actions."
"Indeed, the U.S. has maintained for many years that an acceptable solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be found through negotiations,
not through unilateral actions. And as we look to the future, that will
remain our policy."
"For the present, we are doing all we can to promote permanent status
negotiations on an accelerated basis. And we are stressing that those who
believe that they can declare unilateral positions or take unilateral acts,
when the interim period ends, are courting disaster."
With regard to the PNC, the statement said: "the Wye River Agreement
specifies that the members of the PNC (as well as the members of the PLO
Central Council, the Palestinian Council and the Heads of Palestinian
Ministries) will be invited to a meeting which President Clinton will attend."
"The purpose of this meeting of the PNC and other PLO organizations is to
reaffirm Chairman Arafat's January 22 letter to President Clinton
nullifying each of the Charter's provisions that are inconsistent with the
PLO's commitments to renounce terror, and to recognize and live in peace
with Israel."
"This process of reaffirmation will make clear, once and for all, that the
provisions of the PLO Charter that call for the destruction of Israel are
null and void."
These public statements by the State Department represent our policies. We
will not change them and they will remain our policies in the future.
Sincerely,
Edward S. Walker, Jr.
Ambassador
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