On Sunday, Israeli troops searched house to house for suspected activists for a third day in Nablus. More than 60 Palestinians have been arrested in the roundup.
In Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp, at least 10 Palestinians were taken into custody overnight for suspected involvement in "terrorist activity," the Israeli army said. The army announced earlier that 50 Palestinians were detained Friday and Saturday. Curfews were imposed in both areas.
Troops arrested two Palestinian women Saturday in Rafidya neighborhood in this West Bank city of Nablus, According to the Israeli army, these women planned to carry out suicide attacks. One of the woman was carrying an explosive belt. Israeli troops arrested a total of nine Palestinians in the neighborhood, including four female students from the A Najah University in Nablus
In the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, the Israeli army said it found and detonated a 50-kilogram bomb planted on a road near the Jewish settlement of Dugit. The bomb was similar to ones that have extensively damaged Israeli tanks, the Israeli army said.
On the diplomatic front, U.S. and European diplomats visiting the region have been discussing prospects for a regional peace conference. European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana said the target date for such a conference was the second half of July, though no date has been set.
"We would like to do it as soon as possible," Solana said. "The sooner we can get motion into the process, the better." Solana, who held talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, added the date for the establishment of a Palestinian state should be set at the conference.
"We're trying to make a concentrated effort to bring the conference ... into being as soon as possible. We think that the sooner the better, because the situation on the ground is very demanding," said Peres.
He cautioned, however, that any major breakthroughs in Mideast peacemaking would have to come from an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, not the conference. "Borders, dates and states must result from an agreement," he said when asked about setting a date for establishing a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, Israel’s General Security Service (Shin Bet) chief, Avi Dichter told the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday that if the Israeli army leaves Palestinian-controlled areas and a security fence separating Israel from the West Bank is also not erected, then there would once again be a rise in attacks inside Israel.
According to Dichter, Israeli security forces had thwarted 40 attacks in recent weeks, most of them planned by Fatah - Tanzim. He commented that the Tanzim members had not received clear orders from Arafat to stop attacks.
Dichter was quoted as saying by the Israeli press that Fuad Shubaki, arrested by the PA in connection with the Karine A weapons ship, and the killers of Israel’s cabinet minister Rehavam Ze'evi, who are all jailed in Jericho and guarded by U.S. and British security guards, were not in isolation and were allowed to see an unlimited number of visitors. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
