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400,000 Palestinians under virtual house arrest
Associated Press via Globe and Mail (Toronto) ^ | June 23, 2002

Posted on 06/23/2002 2:38:33 PM PDT by Clive

Jerusalem — Israeli troops are keeping at least 400,000 Palestinians under effective house arrest with round-the-clock curfews and largely barring the media from covering its escalating invasion of the West Bank — an operation that has faced minimal Palestinian resistance and limited international criticism.

The army began Operation Determined Path last week, after two suicide bombings in Jerusalem killed 26 Israelis. An earlier wave of Palestinian attacks set off a similar six-week sweep through the West Bank in late March.

But unlike that first extended foray, when Israeli troops encountered heavy fire in several towns and besieged the office of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, the new operation has been comparatively low-key. Troops have steadily moved into the Palestinian areas, but without the fanfare or the firefights.

The one exception was Qalqiliya, where two Israeli soldiers were killed in a gun battle as soldiers entered the town Wednesday evening. The troops pulled out, only to re-enter Sunday morning without resistance.

During the last incursion, Israeli forces went house-to- house searching for suspected militants and carried out mass arrests of Palestinian men.

In the latest drive into the West Bank, the tanks and armoured personnel carriers have parked in the deserted streets, and for the most part, have just remained there. The significant exception was the northern West Bank town of Jenin, where many hundreds were rounded up late last week.

"We have no choice but take these measures to stop suicide bombers from killing our women, children, and sometimes babies," Israeli government spokesman Danny Naveh said Sunday. "The Palestinian population is suffering, I can acknowledge that as well. We need to put an end to this suffering — in both communities."

One reason for the relative absence of resistance this time is that more than 200 Palestinians, many of them militants, were killed and 1,000 arrested in the first round.

Israel says it must track down suicide bombers because the Palestinian security forces are unable or unwilling to do it. However, the first sweep did not stop the bombings for long.

This time around, Israeli troops are using curfews more, in terms of both extent and duration.

Israeli troops have imposed round-the-clock curfews on the five Palestinian cities and towns they control — Bethlehem, Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarem and Qalqiliya — as well as a suburb of Ramallah.

About 400,000 Palestinians live in these cities and towns, and they cannot leave their houses to go to work, to school or to shop. The only exceptions are medical emergencies.

Typically, the curfew is lifted for about three hours every third day, during which residents rush to the market to stock up on food.

Palestinians say Israel's goal is clear — to destroy the Palestinian Authority and replace it with Israeli rule, as was the case before the two sides signed the breakthrough 1993 Oslo accords.

The Israelis "are continuing the destruction of the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian institutions," said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. "We will end up with Israel fully resuming the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, fully replacing the Palestinian Authority, with the Israeli civil administration and military government."

For much of 21 months of fighting, journalists have had considerable freedom to cover the fighting up close. But in this operation, Israeli media restrictions are also being more rigidly enforced than before, and journalists have had little or no access to the areas where the army has invaded.

During the earlier sweep through the West Bank, Israel declared some areas closed military zones, thereby barring journalists. The measure was not strictly enforced, and journalists were able to enter many areas, often by using back roads.

But this time, all of the reoccupied areas are closed military zones and journalists have been consistently turned back at checkpoints.

Some Palestinian journalists working for international news organizations and living in the cities under siege have been able to report — but only to the degree they are willing to play a game of cat-and-mouse with Israeli troops.

"If there are operational considerations at that moment that limit journalists' entry, then they won't be allowed in," said Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "In every place where it is possible, there will be supervised entry, guided by army spokesmen."

Israel has not arranged any such trips so far, and in the past they have included little more than formal briefings from Israeli commanders — and no contact with Palestinians.

"Imposing an indefinite coverage blackout on five urban areas where hundreds of thousands of people live is a flagrant violation of the freedom of the press which Israel is committed to uphold," the Foreign Press Association in Israel said in a statement.

The earlier Israeli incursion drew widespread international criticism, but this time around the response has been muted. In part, this appears related to the increased backing in the United States for Israeli measures to end terrorism.

U.S. President George W. Bush called on the Israelis to pull out of Palestinian areas on April 4, less than a week after Israel went into West Bank cities. However, the Bush administration did not maintain heavy pressure on the Israelis as that operation carried on, and has largely been supportive of the latest Israeli actions.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 06/23/2002 2:38:33 PM PDT by Clive
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To: Clive
400,000 Palestinians under virtual house arrest

Let us pray that some day the headline will be more like:

Palestinians Riot in Streets; Oust Arafat, Corrupt Leadership, Hamas and Hezbollah;
Enter Negotiations for Establishment of State and Peaceful Co-Existence With Israel


Yes, I know it's too much to hope for.
I almost fainted when I saw Arafat shake hands with Rabin (?) at The White House.
I should have realized that just couldn't lead directly to peace.
2 posted on 06/23/2002 2:43:31 PM PDT by VOA
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To: Clive
— Israeli troops are keeping at least 400,000 Palestinians under effective house arrest with round-the-clock curfews and largely barring the media from covering its escalating invasion of the West Bank —

Ya gotta love these guys!!!!

3 posted on 06/23/2002 2:46:04 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma
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To: Clive
"We will end up with Israel fully resuming the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, fully replacing the Palestinian Authority, with the Israeli civil administration and military government."

I love it when a plan comes together.

4 posted on 06/23/2002 2:48:58 PM PDT by tet68
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To: Clive
400,000 Palestinians under effective house arrest with round-the-clock curfews

Well that is a start in ending the suicide attacks.

5 posted on 06/23/2002 2:49:43 PM PDT by Mixer
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To: B.R. Burton; veronica; BlueLancer; Lent; dennisw; Cachelot; Alouette
Wohoo
6 posted on 06/23/2002 2:55:02 PM PDT by weikel
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To: knighthawk
At least Israel hasn't surrendered the way the US has.
7 posted on 06/23/2002 2:55:34 PM PDT by weikel
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To: Clive
Keep'em there til they drop. Maybe they can eat the terrorist weapons they seem to have in endless supply.
8 posted on 06/23/2002 3:00:13 PM PDT by Cautor
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To: Cautor
Keep'em there til they drop. Maybe they can eat the terrorist weapons they seem to have in endless supply.

They'll eat their kids before they eat their weapons.

9 posted on 06/23/2002 3:05:33 PM PDT by BrooklynGOP
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To: Clive
GO ISRAEL GO
10 posted on 06/23/2002 3:08:11 PM PDT by OldFriend
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To: BrooklynGOP
So now the Pal terrorists have made their own people prisoners in their homes, just as they have done to many Israelis.
11 posted on 06/23/2002 3:16:50 PM PDT by tomahawk
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To: weikel
You know what I am really afraid of? Just imagine Hellery getting in power the next elections! That would really stop the war on terror, she will let all Jihad Joes in, so they can bomb at will, just like the good ol' days when Clintoon was governing the countriy with his pants on his ankles.
12 posted on 06/23/2002 3:19:57 PM PDT by knighthawk
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To: BrooklynGOP
"They'll eat their kids before they eat their weapons."

Sad, but obviously true since they strap explosives onto their babies and send them out to die - for Peace, of course!

13 posted on 06/23/2002 3:24:11 PM PDT by tinacart
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To: knighthawk
"You know what I am really afraid of? Just imagine Hellery getting in power the next elections!"

That's been my fear since 1992! Not only for Israel, but heaven help us if hitlery gets there. Scarey, but likely. You know the demoncraps are waiting with tricks up their sleeves, the "father" they serve will equip them like he always has.
14 posted on 06/23/2002 3:26:15 PM PDT by tinacart
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To: tinacart
You know, you've got to have to those Israelis....


They invade a land over 35 years ago, kill non-combatants, terrorize the rest, bulldoze olive groves, ration scarce water while filling their pools and get all upset when those "Arabs'' dare to fight back... And still THEY are the victims...Can they spin the truth or what??????

15 posted on 06/23/2002 3:29:51 PM PDT by Ranger Samson
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To: tinacart
She will finish Clintoons job of trying to wreck the US.
16 posted on 06/23/2002 3:31:17 PM PDT by knighthawk
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To: Ranger Samson
Ranger Sampson, I wonder if you would recognize the truth if it bit you on the leg.
17 posted on 06/23/2002 3:34:44 PM PDT by edger
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To: OldFriend
Israel is taking the common-sense approach. Mad dogs need to be kept on a leash and muzzled!!!!!
18 posted on 06/23/2002 3:36:36 PM PDT by LADY J
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To: edger
Whose land was it before 1967???
Say since the Romans left???
19 posted on 06/23/2002 3:44:50 PM PDT by Ranger Samson
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To: Ranger Samson
member since June 22nd, 2002

Go back to the DU sand box and play with your terrorist apologist friends.
20 posted on 06/23/2002 3:46:59 PM PDT by Hazzardgate
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