Arafat vs Erakat
London's AL SHARQ AL AWSAT 9/6/99: "Palestinian and Egyptian
sources have confirmed to Al-Sharq al-Awsat the end of the crisis
between Palestinian President Yasir 'Arafat and Dr. Sa'ib
'Urayqat, Local Government Minister and Chief Palestinian
Negotiator, over the extent of the Palestinian concessions made
to the Israeli side before the signing of the timetable
memorandum for implementing the Wye River agreement. Palestinian
sources in Gaza said that President 'Arafat rebuked 'Urayqat
severely because of Clause 10 in the agreement which stipulated
that "the two sides will not make any change during the
agreement that is bound to change the current situation in the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip."
'Arafat regarded this an obstacle
to the declaration of the Palestinian state. This action
prompted 'Urayqat to resign. Moreover, he announced that he
would not agree to reduce the number of prisoners that Israel
would release from 400 to 356.
Sources close to 'Urayqat said that the crisis had been contained
and that it did not have any negative effect on the present
relationship between the Palestinian President and his senior
aide in the Higher Negotiations Committee. But Arab sources
close to the Palestinian Authority told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that
the crisis was a tactical one that aimed to address a message to
the concerned parties to save the Palestinian-Israeli
negotiations that were on the verge of collapsing.
They added
that the purport of the message was that the Palestinian
negotiator did not have any more concessions to make during the
extensive and difficult marathon talks that preceded the
bilateral memorandum of understanding...
Though the Palestinian
President's decision last Friday to sack his senior negotiator
lasted only few hours, yet they brought back to mind the climate
that accompanied the sudden exclusion of Hanan 'Ashrawi from the
Palestinian negotiating team in Washington where she acted as the
delegation's official spokeswoman.
A Palestinian official revealed that 'Arafat spoke sharply with
'Urayqat because of what he regarded as a misplaced hard-line
position on the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
prisoners that Israel was refusing to release among the 400
prisoners whose release was demanded by the Palestinians.
The official, who asked to remain anonymous, added: 'Arafat had
just returned from Alexandria after a hard day and did not give
'Urayqat enough time to explain the nature of the issues that
were the subject of dispute between the Palestinian and Israeli
delegations.
He went on to say: As soon as 'Arafat heard an
explanation of the situation from a number of his senior aides
who intervened to convince him to back down on his decision for
the sake of continuing the negotiations with Israel that had
reached a decisive stage, he immediately summoned 'Urayqat and
renewed his confidence in his negotiating abilities."
US: 'settlements destructive'
Cairo's MIDDLE EAST NEWS AGENCY 9/6/99: "Nabil Sha'th said that
the United States reiterated its stand, which considers
[Israeli] settlement activity as destructive to the peace
process. He added that the United States reemphasized the
Palestinian people's right to determine their future on their
free land, and that no one can deny the Palestinians their
future aspirations and ambitions. He remarked: This stand
generally helps and protects us from uncertainty about our
rights, because we only witnessed mistrust from the previous
Israeli government. He added: We want the United States to remain
committed to removing this mistrust in Israel's behavior. We
hope trust will replace misgiving.
Dr. Sha'th announced that the Palestinian side received a new
letter of guarantee from the European Union [EU]. He remarked
that it was a very good letter reiterating Europe's stand toward
the Palestinian people's right to declare their independent
state without a veto from anyone.
The letter, he added,
emphasizes Europe's stand denouncing all forms of [Israeli]
settlement activity and stating that Israel should implement the
accords without merging various issues. Sha'th noted: The
European letter, which EU Envoy Miguel Moratinos delivered to
the Palestinian side and was signed by the foreign ministers of
15 EU member states, and the US stand as stated in the US letter
of guarantee, made us more reassured."
Sharm el Sheikh agreement approved
HA'ARETZ 9/9/99: "The Knesset yesterday overwhelmingly approved
the Sharm el Sheikh agreement between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority (PA). Several coalition MKs joined the opposition in
the 54-23 vote. The Israeli government is planning to release 200
Palestinian prisoners today. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is
also hoping to complete the first stage of troop withdrawals from
parts of the West Bank today as well. In addition, a decisive
majority of the West Bank installations now under the control of
the Prison Services, and 16 civilian authorities will be handed
over to the PA this evening.
The first stage of the withdrawal is in essence a "virtual
withdrawal," in which no redeployment of forces will take place.
Seven percent of the West Bank will pass from the status of
territory "C" to territory "B." Even though these area are spread
throughout the West Bank, much of the land is near Nablus and
Hebron. In those places, the PA will receive full civilian
authority. Israel will continue to hold full responsibility for
security arrangements.
The headquarters for IDF forces in the
West Bank will be transfered to Beit El this evening in a
ceremony that will be attended by IDF Generals Moshe Ya'alon and
Yaakov Or, Palestinian Civilian Committee Chair Jamil Tarifi and
the Palestinian Police Commander in the West Bank, Haj Ismail.
The original plan had been to transfer the authority tomorrow or
on Monday, but, because the Fast of Gedalia will take place on
Monday, Israel worried that the religious parties might have
reservations about implementing the plan. In addition, the IDF
wants to withdrawal today to avoid problems that would delay
completing the move before the Jewish New Year."
199 released
AP 9/9/99: "A day ahead of deadline, Israel released 199
Palestinian security prisoners today, providing the first real
evidence that the peace process is back on track after nearly a
year of deadlock. The inmates, raising handcuffed hands in
triumph and flashing victory signs, chanted ``God is great'' as
buses carrying them to freedom were greeted by cheering relatives
at army checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The releases
marked the launch of a new interim land-for-security deal that
also requires the transfer of 7 percent of the West Bank to
Palestinian civilian rule by the weekend and the opening of talks
on a permanent peace agreement Monday.
Just after dawn today, eight buses with 199 prisoners rolled out
of two Israeli jails. Originally, 200 were to be freed, but one
refused to leave jail, saying he only had a few days left of his
sentence. t the Nahal Oz crossing between Israel and the Gaza
Strip, prisoners chanted ``Allahu Akbar,'' or God is great, and
sang the Palestinian anthem ``My homeland,'' when the buses
arrived at the meeting point where dozens of relatives waited...
Most of the prisoners freed today had killed suspected
Palestinian collaborators or injured Israelis. The prisoner
release is only one in a series of events to unfold over the next
few days. By the weekend, Israel was to hand over 7 percent of
the West Bank -- about 160 square miles -- to Palestinian
control. In total, Israel will transfer 11 percent of the West
Bank in three stages by Jan. 20.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign
Minister David Levy and Arafat's deputy, Mahmoud Abbas, will
launch negotiations on a permanent peace deal to be concluded by
September 2000. Negotiators will have to tackle sensitive issues,
such as the borders and nature of the Palestinian entity and the
future of Jewish settlements. In a parliament debate Wednesday,
opposition leader Ariel Sharon warned that the latest accord
endangered Israel's security.
``It's an opening for endless
bloodshed,'' he warned. Despite the criticism, parliament
approved the deal 54-23."
'Terrible mistake'
VOICE OF AMERICA 9/9/99: "As their families cheered, the
Palestinian prisoners raised handcuffed fists in triumph as they
were released from jails near Israel's Mediterranean coast. The
prisoners were taken in buses to be reunited with their families
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The release is in accordance
with the revised Wye River peace agreement signed last Sunday in
Egypt...
A spokesman for Jewish settlers on the West Bank --
David Wilder -- is calling the release a "terrible
mistake," saying the prisoners are now free to commit
acts of terrorism. Meanwhile, the Israeli Army is closing
roadblocks and is barring Palestinians from entering Israel on
the eve of the Jewish New Year because of concern about
terrorist attacks."
Israeli Arab car bombs
ARUTZ7 9/8/99: "Two more Israeli-Arabs have been arrested on
suspicion of involvement in the failed car-bombs this past
Sunday. This brings the number of Israeli-Arabs arrested in the
case to seven, in addition to the three who were killed while
preparing the bombs. Northern Police Chief Alik Ron said, "It's
not that terrorism has jumped up a step [with the formation of
this terrorist cell within Israel] - this is a jump of an entire
stairwell." Daburiyah Regional Council head Dr. Faisal Aziza
condemned the actions of the terrorist cell that originated in
his village. He said that he and his colleagues will now engage
in serious "introspection," and will work to prevent the
recurrence of such incidents. Police Chief Yehuda Wilk said
today that neither the Police Department nor the General Security
Services had any information on the cell, and that this demands
some introspection on the part of the police.
General Security
Services head Ami Ayalon said that the GSS must ask itself why it
did not know of the terrorist cell within Israeli-Arab villages."
Wye II details
HA'ARETZ 9/7/99: "Prime Minister Ehud Barak's revised Wye
agreement map increases the size of Area B compared to the
original agreement, and this will even further limit the ability
of the nearby Jewish settlements to develop, say settlement
leaders in Judea and Samaria. They were presented with the maps
outlining the first stage of the IDF redeployment in the West
Bank by IDF and defense personnel yesterday, following the
Sharm-A-Sheikh agreement. Area B refers to areas under
Palestinian civilian control and Israeli security control. The
map is similar to the one drawn up by the IDF planning department
for the second stage of the second withdrawal under the Wye
agreement.
The main differences involve the transfer of the
Mukabila industrial zone north of Jenin to the Palestinian
Authority, a reduction in the size of the area to be handed over
to the PA in the vicinity of Mount Ba'al Hazor, northeast of
Ramallah, and a reduction in the size of the nature reserve in
the Judean Desert.
During the first stage, to be carried out next week, the PA will
receive 7 percent of the West Bank, the status of which will
change from Area C (complete Israeli control) to Area B. The
principle features of the map are as follows:
In the Jenin area, a Palestinian industrial zone will be built
in the village of Mukabila, near the Green Line.
In the Nablus area, land will be handed over east and south of
the settlements of Elon Moreh and Itamar, as well as between
Emanuel and Yitzhar.
In the Kalkilyah area, land between Salit and Kedumim will be
handed over.
In the Ramallah area, land between Ofra and Rimonim and between
Beit El and the Jilazoun refugee camp will be handed over.
In the Bethlehem area, a sizable area will be turned into a
nature reserve in the Judean Desert, east of the settlement of
Nokdim.
In the Hebron area, the area between the villages of Yatta and
Samoa will become Area B, as will land south of Dahariya. Area B
will be broadened around the army Nahal settlement of Nehogot,
turning it into a virtual enclave within Palestinian
territory..."
Wye II ramifications
ARUTZ7 9/8/99: "For the first time since Israel's withdrawal from
the cities of Kalkilye and Tulkarm in late 1995, Palestinian
Authority control will be extended to areas bordering pre-1967
Israel. This was one of the main concerns raised by Yesha
leaders after they viewed maps of the upcoming withdrawal.
"Yesha leaders raised eleven points at the map committee meeting
yesterday," reported Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman today. "Of these,
eight were accepted by the committee - chaired by Tourism
Minister and former IDF Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shachak - and
three were passed on to the government for a final decision."
The government today rejected them. The changes that were
accepted related to specific problems of water, electricity, and
local roads.
The three unaccepted issues have implications not only for the
settlement enterprise, but for the entire country, Huberman
explained. "Next week's withdrawal in the area of the northern
Shomron will see Area B, northwest of Jenin, extend up to the
Green Line," he said.
"The area will border the Arab village of
Mukabila, an Israeli-Arab village. Until now, Israel was always
careful to leave a buffer between Palestinian areas and the Green
Line."
Ecological concerns were also raised:
"Without Israeli
supervision, the PA is liable to bring about real ecological
damage to the communities of the northern Shomron and of the
Jezre'el Valley, the Yesha Council fears. Waste products could
be dumped into the Kishon brook and soon threaten towns as far
north as Haifa."
As mentioned, however, the government approved
the transfer of this area...[Yesha] Council Deputy
Director-General Shlomo Filber told Arutz-7 today that though the
upcoming withdrawal will not imminently isolate any Yesha
communities, the next stage of IDF pull-outs will be very
difficult for them."
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