Posted on 07/15/2003 7:13:15 PM PDT by Pharmboy
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers freed unharmed Wednesday an Israeli who was held by Palestinians in the West Bank for five days in a kidnapping that raised further questions about the stability of a fragile truce.
The release of cab driver Eliahu Gurel came a day after a Palestinian fatally stabbed an Israeli strolling along the Tel Aviv seaside promenade with his girlfriend in an attack that rattled the cease-fire crucial to a U.S.-backed peace plan.
"In a combined operation, a large number of forces rescued Eliahu Gurel from his Palestinian kidnappers tonight," an army spokesman said.
The elite security forces were led to Gurel by two kidnappers arrested earlier in the day. A third was arrested while attempting an escape during the rescue, the army said.
Gurel, believed to be in his 60s, went missing Friday, his cab reportedly found running in a Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Israel said it suspected Palestinian militants had kidnapped him and called on Palestinian security forces to insure his safe return.
No group claimed responsibility for Gurel's kidnapping.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militant group linked to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s Fatah (news - web sites) faction, Tuesday claimed responsibility for the Tel Aviv stabbing, which was condemned by Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr.
In London, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) called on Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to dismantle and disarm militants to bolster the Middle East "road map" to peace.
"There should be (a) very active struggle -- and I would say, I would call it a war -- by the Palestinian new government against the terrorist organizations," Sharon said in an address to leaders of the Jewish community in Britain.
Palestinian officials had no immediate comment. Abbas has avoided confrontation with the militants, fearing it could trigger a civil war.
PALESTINIAN ROLE IN RELEASE UNCLEAR
It was not immediately clear what role, if any, Palestinian security forces played in Gurel's release. Palestinian Security Minister Mohammed Dahlan said earlier this week his forces were searching for the missing cab driver.
Three leading Palestinian militant groups called a three-month truce on attacks on Israel on June 29 and Israel has withdrawn troops from the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and from the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
However, Israel's decision to set tough criteria for the release of several hundred of some 6,000 Palestinians being held in its jails led Islamic militant group Hamas to vow last week it would start kidnapping soldiers if all prisoners were not freed.
Israeli media reports said that Gurel's kidnappers had made contradictory demands for his freedom, including the release of all or some of the Palestinian prisoners and money.
Other reports said the kidnappers were criminals who tried to sell Gurel to Palestinian militants who in the past kidnapped soldiers to exchange for Palestinian prisoners but have avoided doing so in the current uprising for independence which began in September 2000.
A spokesman for Hamas said he knew nothing about Gurel's kidnapping.
The cease-fire proclaimed by the main Palestinian factions has raised cautious optimism that the U.S.-led road map would end 33 months of Israeli-Palestinian violence. However some militants have sworn to ignore the cease-fire and sporadic violence has continued.
The road map, drawn up by the United States, Russia, the United Nations (news - web sites) and European Union (news - web sites) (EU), sets out reciprocal steps to halt violence and establish an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by 2005.
The horse orders a beer.
A few minutes later, John Kerry walks in and sits at the bar. The bartender walks up and says "Hey pal, cheer up. Why the long face?"
I'll stop if you guys will donate and get us over our fundraising goal
Bump for a BLACK SEPTEMBER just like that of 1970.
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