Diskussionsbeiträge
der Projektgruppe Friedensforschung Konstanz, Nr. 53, 2004
The Associated Press, 03.05.2001
Sharon Blames Arafat for Violence
JERUSALEM
(AP) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon´s office blamed
Yasser Arafat for Middle East violence Thursday, saying the Palestinian leader
has given a "green light" for attacks a-gainst Israel in seven months
of fighting.
The statement appeared to be at odds with recent remarks by Israel´s Foreign
Minister Shi-mon Peres, who met President Bush in Washington on Thursday. Peres
said Tuesday that "some dissident groups and some forces under Arafat participated
in the killings (of Israelis) without the knowledge of Arafat."
But
Peres said Thursday that he, too, held Arafat responsible for the violence against
Israeli targets.
"I said that at first perhaps Arafat did not know about the terror attacks
in advance," Peres was quoted as saying by Israeli televison. "Israel
demands that he assume responsibility and come out publicly against terrorism."
After meeting Bush, Peres said he has no disagreement with Sharon on the issue.
"I don´t see where we use different language," he told reporters.
The hawkish Sharon and the dovish Peres have for decades taken sharply different
approaches to dealing with the Palestinians, but have been working together
in Israel´s unity government the past two months.
While
Peres often speaks of the need to resume peace talks, Sharon insists there will
be no negotiations until violence ends.
Sharon has repeatedly said that members of Arafat´s security forces have
taken part in attacks, and that the Palestinian Authority, which Arafat leads,
has failed to rein in militants from o-ther organizations during the fighting.
A statement issued Thursday by Sharon´s office said "the present
attacks are the result of stra-tegic decision of Arafat."
"The organizations subject to Arafat, including Fatah, and also other organizations
such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah understand that they have a ´green
light´ for continu-ation of the attacks against Israel," the statement
added.
Arafat leads the Fatah movement, while the other three groups are radical Islamic
organizati-ons that are not under his control and have consistently opposed
Israeli-Palestinian peace ne-gotiations.
Arafat´s
Palestinian Authority released dozens of militants from prison after the Palestinian
uprising began last fall. Israel has said that former inmates, including members
[of] Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are taking part in attacks.
Peres and Bush discussed the truce plan proposed by Egypt and Jordan, though
no agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians appeared imminent.
In Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday, Arafat said in a speech to Non-Aligned
Movement na-tions that he is fully committed to the Egyptian-Jordanian plan.
Israel has said that several proposals are one-sided. The plan calls for Israel
to withdraw its forces from the edge of Palestinian towns and remove travel
restrictions, but it does not expli-citly call for the Palestinians to stop
attacks.
A
senior Palestinian leader said the Palestinians support the plan, but the Israelis
were conti-nuing to raise objections.
Ahmed Qureia, the speaker of the Palestinian parliament and a leading negotiator,
said the Pa-lestinians were frustrated with Israeli attempts to amend the proposals.
"The only solution is the acceptance of the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative
by the Israeli side," Qureia said. "If we try to divide it, I believe
we will not achieve anything."
Since fighting began last September, 431 people have been killed on the Palestinian
side and 72 on the Israeli side.
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