Israel has proposed withdrawing troops from some Palestinian areas in the West Bank to test the ability of Palestinian security to prevent attacks on civilians, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Sunday.
"We have no interest in staying in those places where the Palestinians can prove that they can take control," Peres told Israel Radio. The proposal was made at Israeli-Palestinian talks Saturday night as part of an effort to find ways of easing the tough restrictions placed on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Peres did not specify from where troops might be withdrawn, but Army Radio said the forces could withdraw from Hebron and Bethlehem as early as Tuesday if those areas remain calm.
"The key to breaking the circle of violence begins with the Israeli withdrawal from all the Palestinian cities," said Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo. The two sides plan to hold additional talks in coming days.
Deportation to Gaza
In another development, the relatives of Palestinian activists were fighting an Israeli move, still under discussion, that could deport them from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said the government was considering deporting those with direct links to the attackers.
The relatives petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to block any deportation. However, they withdrew the petition Sunday after the court noted the Israeli government had not ordered anyone deported, and therefore could not rule on their petition unless such an order was given.
Israel's Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein asked the Supreme Court Sunday to dismiss the petition, saying that no decision to do so had been reached. "As of now, a decision to transfer some of the petitioners to the Gaza Strip has yet to be made," Rubinstein told the Court.
Rubinstein said that if such a decision is reached, the attorney representing the Palestinian familiy members, Leah Tzemel, "will be informed at least 12 hours beforehand in order to allow her to take the steps she sees fit."
Rubinstein has also said that relatives of attackers could not be deported just because of their relation to the bombers. But he left open the possibility that those who knew of the bomber's intentions could be deported, saying "the matter may be considered (for) persons directly involved." The Tel Aviv-based Haaretz daily reported Sunday that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would accept Rubinstein's decision.
Ranaan Gissin, a spokesman for Sharon, said there was no legal possibility for deportation if there was no proof of clear involvement in a terror act. "They knew from the beginning that it was problematic," he said. "If you can't do the move in a legal manner, then you can't do it."
However, he said, investigations of the 21 family members arrested Friday were continuing to see if any fit Rubinstein's criteria for deportation. "After the 21 are investigated, if any were directly involved, who meet the criteria, you can consider deporting them," he said.
For its part, Fatah's military wing threatened to attack the families of Israeli officials if Israel expels relatives to the Gaza Strip. "We warn the Israeli government against deporting martyrs' families, and if they do so the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades will retaliate by striking the families of Israeli officials," said Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in a statement published Sunday.
In a related development, the Danish presidency of the European Union joined the United States, United Nations and Arab League in opposing Israeli plans to deport the relatives of Palestinian suicide bombers, saying collective punishment was neither legitimate nor acceptible.
"The Danish EU Presidency strongly urges the Israeli government not to deport relatives of Palestinian suicide bombers or suspected terrorists," it said in a statement released late Saturday.
"Deportations and the demolishing of houses belonging to the families of terror suspects do not contribute in any sensible way to increasing the security of the Israeli population.
Collective punitive measures are neither legitimate nor acceptable," it added.
Annan
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is prepared to dispatch 14,000 experts to Palestinian Authority areas to assist in operating health, infrastructure, and educational systems. Annan announced the decision at a meeting of UN, U.S. EU and Russian delegates in New York last week, after he had spoken with Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. During the conversation, Sharon requested that the international community provide humanitarian aid for the Palestinians.
Israel also suggested that Annan delegate an international organization to financially assist the Palestinians, on the condition that the funds be transferred in a transparent manner. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
