Following the firing of a mortar at Gilo settlement on the edge of Jerusalem Friday night, Israeli troops, including paratroopers and armored corps, began to move into the West Bank town of Beit Jala.
Israel Radio reported Saturday that the Israeli army had managed to arrest two wanted Tanzim activists suspected of masterminding several attacks against Israeli targets in the recent past. In addition, the occupation army captured a senior Fatah member, Sakher Habash. Habash was a founding member of the organization.
Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Israel during an emergency Security Council meeting Friday to stop its assault on Yasser Arafat's West Bank headquarters because destroying it will not bring peace.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham warned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his government "to carefully consider the consequences" of the assault, and warned that the Palestinian leader should not be harmed.
"Chairman Arafat is the leader of the Palestinian people. His leadership is now, and will be, central to any meaningful effort to restore calm," Cunningham said.
According to AP, the emergency session, which interrupted a Good Friday holiday, was called at the request of the Palestinians after Israeli troops, backed by tanks, stormed into Arafat's headquarters, confining the Palestinian leader.
A resolution introduced by Norway demanded an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, site of Arafat's West Bank headquarters.
"The killing of Arafat would be the mother of all mistakes," said Palestinian U.N. envoy Nasser al-Kidwa, who called the Ramallah assault "an insane step by Sharon." Saying he was trying to salvage the situation, al-Kidwa called for a cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah.
"I must state that this represents the beginning of the destruction of the elected Palestinian Authority and the beginning of getting rid of Yasser Arafat and the reoccupation of Palestinian territory," al-Kidwa said.
Annan, who flew home Friday from the Arab summit in Lebanon, said he was "deeply alarmed at the rapid escalation of the violence."
"Israel should halt its assault on the Palestinian Authority," Annan said. "Destroying the Palestinian Authority will not bring Israel closer to peace."
Annan also said suicide bombings were "repugnant" and subverted all peace attempts.
"Terrorism will not bring the Palestinian people closer to an independent Palestinian state," Annan said.
Cunningham urged the Palestinians to cooperate with U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni on a cease-fire and "to take the step to bring tangible benefits to both peoples." "This is the only solution to the crisis before us," he said. "The cycle of violent action and reaction in the Middle East must stop."
Chinese Ambassador Wang Yingfan called on Israel to end its "barbaric aggression," saying its actions were "no different from a declaration of war against Palestine which will bring very serious consequences."
France's ambassador, Jean-David Levitte, told the council that Arafat had to be granted complete freedom of movement. "The actions taken since this morning in Ramallah and several other West Bank towns must stop, the Israeli forces must begin withdrawing," Levitte said.
Israel's U.N. Ambassador Yehuda Lancry blamed Arafat for the crisis, saying the Palestinian “militants” find sanctuary right in his headquarters. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
