Israeli Occupation Forces Shoot Dead Three Palestinian Teenagers, Unarmed Man

News, October 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

PM Qurei Offers Two-stage Strategy for Achieving Cease-fire with Israel

30/10/2003

Palestine Media Center – PMC

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Wednesday shot dead two boys aged 12 and 16 in the West Bank and an armed Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip as another teenager died of wounds sustained earlier, only a day after they assassinated a Palestinian activist in Tulkarem. Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said he has a two-stage strategy for achieving a cease-fire and the IOF General Staff slammed the collective punishment policy of Israeli PM Sharon’s government against the Palestinian people.

IOF on Wednesday shot dead 12-year-old Baha’ al-Zubaidi in the northern West Bank refugee camp of Balatah near Nablus, while Palestinians were throwing stones, residents said. They said the boy was a distance away from the confrontation and was not involved, AP reported.

Also, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man and wounded another after they allegedly crossed into a restricted area around the Wall that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel, IOF sources said, adding that a map of the area and a cellular phone were also found in the Palestinians’ possession, and soldiers estimated that the two had also been scouting the area.

The men had no weapons, but they had just planted a 44-pound explosive device, the IOF claimed.

The dead man’s family identified him as Mohammed Awad, 26.

Also in the Strip, 16-year-old youth Salah Abdul Ghaffar As’ad died Wednesday of wounds sustained during the IOF invasion of the central Gaza Strip refugee camp of al-Nusairat two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Adnan al-Imwasi on Wednesday was seriously wounded by a bullet in the head when IOF opened fire in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah and injured three others.

Late Wednesday in the West Bank, Palestinian gunmen ambushed an Israeli settlers’ car near the illegal Jewish settlement of Kadim, injuring an Israeli man seriously and his wife lightly, police and rescue workers said.

Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, an anti-Israeli-occupation group affiliated with the Palestinian ruling Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to The Associated Press.

"One of our units fired on a car containing two settlers," the group said. In a separate statement Al Aqsa Brigades said the attack was in retaliation to the extra-judicial killing of Ibrahim al-Na’neesh, 28, in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem a day earlier.

IOF tanks fired tank shells at a house on the outskirts of Jenin on Wednesday, after the attack on the settlers took place.

Palestinian PM Offers 2-staege Ceasefire Strategy

Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said Wednesday he has a two-stage strategy for achieving a cease-fire.

A new truce would replace the one that collapsed in the summer. On June 29, the main Palestinian factions and groups declared a unilateral halt to attacks against the IOF. It held for about six weeks, during which the IOF launched a non-stop campaign of assassinations, military incursions and demolition of Palestinian houses.

This time, Qurei said, he would bring in the Israelis as part of the deal, but first, he would persuade groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad to go along.

"I don't have American and Israeli assurances. I want Palestinian assurances, and if I get these Palestinian assurances, then there will be no problem," Qurei said.

Qurei also said that truce talks with Hamas have been “constructive”. Hamas spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin said this week that his group would consider a truce but would not give up its right to strike at Israeli occupiers.

Qurei said the real problem is the Israelis. "When the Israeli side is ready and prepared for a mutual and serious cease-fire, a mutual cease-fire with clear conditions" can be worked out, he said, listing problem areas including the Apartheid Wall Israel is building on Palestinian land.

Israel has been cool to the idea of a new truce, demanding instead that the Palestinians crack down on resistance groups and disarm them, as required by the US-backed “roadmap” peace plan.

Implementation of the plan, formally presented last June, has bogged down in violence and efforts to form a stable Palestinian government.

Russia on Wednesday distributed a draft UN resolution urging the Security Council members to adopt the Middle East “roadmap” peace plan, which the United States said was premature.

Qurei is serving a head of an emergency Cabinet appointed by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat with a one-month mandate that expires on November 4. Arafat has asked Qurei to form a normal, expanded Cabinet by then.

IOF General Staff Criticizes Sharon’s Policy

Meanwhile, the Israeli military chief criticized his government’s policy as being too tough on the Palestinians, warning of desperation and a humanitarian crisis, Israeli media reported on Thursday.

Government officials refused to comment, but an army spokeswoman said there was a debate on the issues.

The IOF General Staff believes that Israel contributed to the collapse of former Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas’ government by making only stingy demonstrations of support, and is warning Israel not to repeat the mistake with Palestinian PM Ahmed Qureia, Ha’aretz reported.

The unusual public rift between the IOF chief-of staff and the “defense” minister Shaul Mofaz reflects the frustration on both sides over the inability to bring three years of bloody conflict with the Palestinians to an end.

Columnists from three Israeli newspapers were called in for a briefing with “senior military officials”, later identified by Israeli television and radio stations as Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, the military chief of staff.

The newspapers said Yaalon warned that the heavy restrictions imposed in the West Bank by the military — at the orders of the “Defense” Ministry — could backfire. After twin bombings last month, the army clamped a total closure on the West Bank, banning Palestinians from entering Israel, and also halted Palestinian traffic on West Bank roads, confining hundreds of thousands of people to their towns and villages.

Nahum Barnea of Yediot Ahronot quoted Yaalon as saying the result of the tough restrictions is that "there is no hope, no expectations for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, not in Bethlehem and Jericho," two West Bank towns where the military recommended lifting most restrictions because no attacks have originated there in recent weeks.

"In our tactical decisions, we are operating contrary to our strategic interest," Barnea quoted the official as saying.

An Israeli “Defense” Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP the ministry wants to go more slowly than the military in easing restrictions on the Palestinians.

Maj. Sharon Feingold, an IOF spokeswoman, denied Yaalon criticized the government, but added there is a debate over "how to continue to pressure terrorists without alienating the civilian population. He thinks we need to look at all the angles when we come to discuss this question."

Relations between Yaalon and Mofaz have been reported tense for some time, with frequent reports in local media of clashes over policy toward the Palestinians, though both favor a hard line. However, this was the first time that Yaalon was said to have harshly criticized government policies.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah's.

editor@aljazeerah.info