Israel suspended Wednesday its strikes against the Palestinian Authority to give its leader, Yasser Arafat, the chance to show he was serious about cracking down on Islamists behind a spate of deadly suicide attacks, said reports.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the authorities had agreed to a request by Arafat to give his police freedom to move around to make good on pledges to arrest members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who have vowed to continue attacks despite Arafat's insistence on a truce, said AFP.
In a statement received by Albawaba.com on Wednesday, the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for a failed suicide attack in west Jerusalem, adding that it was only the beginning of a series of responses to the latest Israeli attacks on the Palestinians.
According to the Tel Aviv-based Haaretz daily, Arafat requested that Israel halt the attacks against the PA, saying they were hampering his attempts to arrest the Islamists.
"Arafat phoned me and said he wanted to take the situation in hand and complained that we are not giving him the chance," Peres said on public radio.
"I told him the situation depends on him and that in the next 12 hours, he could change (Israel's) attitude toward the Palestinian Authority, which is suffering from a problem of credibility," Peres was quoted as saying.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched two days of air strikes on Arafat's security bases and symbols of his power Monday to show Israel's anger that the veteran leader had failed to prevent three suicide bombers killing 25 people on Israel's streets at the weekend.
A defense ministry spokesman confirmed that the army had suspended its strikes for an indeterminate period to test Arafat's resolve to take on the major figures in the two Islamic group' military wings, despite popular opposition among his people.
"I spoke to the prime minister, and he gave his authorization, which I passed on to Yasser Arafat," said Peres, opposed to escalating air strikes.
Israel earlier pledged not to bomb Palestinian prisoners where "terrorists" were being detained.
According to Al Jazeera satellite channel's correspondent in the West Bank, Israel has at least once attacked a Palestinian jail in Nablus, where the slain Hamas leader Mahmoud Abu Hannoud was detained. Abu Hannoud was assassinated last month near his native village of Assira Shamaliya near Nablus.
"In response to Arafat's claims that he had already arrested a number of militants, Peres replied "Don't give me numbers, arrest the right people," according to the paper.
ZINNI TO STAY
Meanwhile, the US State Department decided that its envoy to the Middle East Anthony Zinni will remain in the region and will continue his efforts to achieve a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians, a US State Department spokesperson said Tuesday.
This move came in spite of President Bush's comments in a Wednesday interview with ABC's Barbara Walters. During the interview Bush said that "there is no way that Israel can negotiate a peace process so long as its country is being terrorized."
The spokesperson went on to say that Zinni needs time and cooperation from both sides, and again reiterated the customary call to Arafat to take immediate action against "terror organizations" and destroy their infrastructure.
It was reported earlier that Zinni was weighing whether he should continue his mission in the region or leave Israel and return to the US.
Zinni cancelled his meetings scheduled for Tuesday with Israeli and Palestinian representatives.
However he did meet with three other envoys in the region - European Union envoy to the region, Miguel Moratinos, Russia's special envoy to the region, Andrei Vdovin, and UN envoy Terje Larsen.
And US Secretary of State Colin Powell said there was still a light at the end of the tunnel.
"There will be a tomorrow and a day after tomorrow" during which both sides would have to live side by side, he said at a news conference after meeting Peres in Romania on the sidelines of an OSCE conference.
"Israel at this moment is recovering from a terrible blow inflicted on her last Saturday night by acts of terror and Prime Minister (Ariel) Sharon...is responding in a way that he believes is appropriate to defend his people and to defend his country," Powell said.
Arafat also had some talks with the Americans, but at a lower level.
According to the Palestinian official news agency (WAFA), the president received in Ramallah the US Consul General in Jerusalem Ronald Schlicker, who was accompanied with Aron Miller, a member of the US peace delegation.
The agency said that the leader discussed with the US officials "the serious situation in the Palestinian lands against the backdrop of the continuing Israeli raids and incursions.”
FATEH TO RALLY IN SUPPORT OF ARAFAT
The Palestinian agency also reported that the mainstream PLO movement, Fateh, has called for a mass rally in Gaza on Thursday noon to “renew alligiance to President Yasser Arafat.”
Fateh’s military wing, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, has been responsible for a number of attacks targeting Israelis and Jewish settlers – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
