Posted on 08/03/2002 11:25:28 AM PDT by RCW2001
Powell still plans to meet Palestinians | |
(Adds possible Israeli-Palestinian meeting) By Danielle Haas JERUSALEM, Aug 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Saturday he still hoped to meet Palestinian leaders next week despite a deadly bomb attack on an Israeli university that drew swift military retaliation from Israel. Powell condemned Palestinian attacks and mourned the five Americans and two Israelis who died in the Wednesday blast at a cafeteria of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but said efforts to end 22 months of bloodshed must continue. "We can't walk away from it. We must continue to try to find a path forward," Powell told a news conference in Manila near the end of an eight-nation Asia tour. He made clear that no dates or participants for any peace effort had been set. U.S. President George W. Bush said he was "just as angry as Israel" after the bombing, but peace was still possible. Israeli and Palestinian officials said they might renew talks on reducing violence. A spokesman for Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said a meeting with Palestinian Interior Minister Abdel Razzek al-Yahya was being considered for early next week. Israel responded to the university bombing by sending troops and tanks into a militant stronghold in the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, killing three Palestinians and seizing at least 30 suspects. Soldiers went from house to house in the Casbah, or Old City, smashing holes in connecting walls to avoid exposure to gunmen outside, as they searched for militants. DEMOLISHING HOUSES The army said in a statement on Saturday it had taken in for questioning two Palestinians suspected of involvement in "terrorist activities" and that it had discovered two pipe bombs and pistols in a house during searches. Palestinians said the army had blown up several buildings. The army demolished the houses of families of militants and started procedures to deport some of their relatives. Bulldozers and army engineers razed four homes in three West Bank towns, at least three of which belonged to relatives of suicide attackers. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called the demolitions, which left dozens homeless, a crime against humanity. "I am asking for quick international intervention from the United Nations. If they are not able to send forces, they should send observers," he said in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said last week he expected to visit Washington with Yahya and Trade Minister Maher al-Masri for talks on August 5 and 6. The meeting would be the most senior contact between the U.S. administration and the Palestinian Authority since Bush called in June for Arafat to be sidelined as Palestinian leader. The United States has said Arafat can empower his officials to speak on his behalf at talks to push forward reforms that Bush said must come before Washington supports a Palestinian state. In an effort to stop further attackers, an Israeli general signed orders on Thursday for the deportation from the West Bank to the fenced-in Gaza Strip of the brothers of two militants. Israeli officials facing international criticism for the decision said they would deport only family members who were accomplices to attacks. A committee considering whether to approve deportation orders would resume its deliberations on Sunday, Army radio said. Lawyers for the two men said they would appeal to the Supreme Court if the decree was not revoked. At least 1,477 Palestinians and 574 Israelis have been killed since a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began in September 2000 after peace talks froze. ((Jerusalem newsroom, 972-2-537-0502, jerusalem.newsroom@reuters.com))
03 AUG 2002 15:40:18 WRAPUP 4-Powell still plans to meet Palestinians
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