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http://www.reuters.co.il/news2000/N2STTZD9.HTM
UPDATE 1 - Palestinian official warns of more suicide bombers

UPDATE 1 - Palestinian official warns of more suicide bombers


     TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) - A senior Palestinian official 
visiting Japan said on Friday that Israel would face a wave of 
suicide bombers if it continued with aggression against the 
Palestinian authority. 
    "They are pushing more and more. If they continue there will 
be a million suicide bombers," Ahmed Korei, speaker of the 
Palestinian Legislative Council, told reporters in Tokyo. 
    "Every Palestinian will become a suicide bomber," he said. 
    Korei stressed that he and other Palestinian leaders all 
strongly condemned suicide bombings, but said some Palestinians 
felt they had been pushed too far. 
    Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared Palestinian 
leader Yasser Arafat an "enemy" on Friday and Israel sent troops 
into his presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. 
    Korei, who is also known as Abu Ala and sometimes mentioned 
as a possible successor to Arafat, said the Mideast peace process 
was now at a "very critical" stage as a result of the most recent 
Israeli actions, which he termed "brutal and unprecedented." 
    "If this continues, the situation will be very, very 
dangerous," he added. 
    "There will be confusion in the region. None of the 
Palestinians will surrender and none of the Arabs will stay 
silent." 
    Korei called on the international community to take steps to 
halt the latest violence and singled out the United States. 
    "The United States holds the responsibility to ask Sharon to 
stop this aggression," he said. 
    "They can do it and they should do it. It's the 
responsibility of the international community." 
    He added that he had asked the Japanese officials and 
politicians he has met since arriving in Tokyo on Wednesday, who 
include Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, to add their voices to 
his in urging the United States to help. 
    "We asked them to call upon the United States to intervene in 
a very serious way to stop this Israeli interference." 
    Earlier, Korei had told Reuters that by naming Arafat as an 
enemy, Sharon was in effect naming all Palestinians as enemies. 
    "Because Arafat is the elected president of the Palestinian 
people, when they called him an enemy they are calling all the 
Palestinians enemies," he said. 
    "I think Sharon is pushing the peace process to collapse 
completely." 
    Korei said he is in regular contact with Arafat and described 
him as "steadfast and determined". 
    "We will defend the interests of our people," he added. 
    Korei met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi 
earlier on Friday, and she was quoted by a ministry official as 
telling him that both sides should restrain themselves and stop 
pointing fingers at the other, as this could be worsening the 
cycle of violence in the region. 
    Korei leaves Tokyo on Saturday. 
 ((Elaine Lies, Tokyo newsroom +81-3 3432 8018, 
elaine.lies@reuters.com)) 
 

29 MAR 2002 13:56:22
UPDATE 1-Palestinian official warns of more suicide bombers

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