Mofaz: Arafat has Given Green Light for Terror

Aug. 17, 2003

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has given a green light for terror attacks against Israel, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet at their weekly meeting Sunday.

Mofaz defended the decision to transfer security control of four Palestinian cities to the PA, saying "the transfer of cities is a step which places responsibility on the Palestinian Authority so they can deal with the terror infrastructure."

Mofaz also said that there has been a noticeable effort by the Palestinians to rein in the Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant organizations since he had reached the agreement to transfer security over the four cities with his Palestinian counterpart Mohammed Dahlan on Friday.

Military Intelligence chief Aharon Ze'evi Farkash told the cabinet Sunday that Arafat is responsible for the recent terror attacks against Israelis and is funding Palestinian terror activity.

Farkash also told the cabinet that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and security chief Dahlan do not plan on confronting Arafat and are not fulfilling their obligation to dismantle the terror infrastructure in the territories.

Farkash did say however, that Abbas is determined to push forward with peace negotiations.

Israel will hand over four more West Bank cities to Palestinian Authority security control, temporarily lift the blockade on PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, and ease restrictions on the Palestinian population, defense officials said.

The agreement was made during two back-to-back meetings between Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and PA Minister of Security Muhammad Dahlan on Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile Sunday, fierce criticism was expected in the cabinet meeting of the withdrawal plan from right-wing ministers.

Minister-without-Portfolio Landau said before the meeting that he doesn't understand how Israel could consider taking this step before the Palestinians have acted against terrorist groups. "One-sided steps like this endanger the general security of Israel and make it seem like Israel is relinquishing its insistence on the dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure."

The moves are expected in the next two weeks and are contingent on the PA preventing attacks on Israelis and following through with detailed steps to crack down on terrorist groups. The announcement of the agreement came as Israel freed 73 Palestinian prisoners, mostly criminals, whose release had been frozen due to last week's two suicide bombings.

Israel is to hand over full control of Jericho and Kalkilya in the coming days. If the PA follows through with its commitments, then Israel will transfer Tulkarm and Ramallah as well in about 10 days' time, defense officials said.

Defense officials described the Mofaz-Dahlan meetings as "positive." Israel had frozen all transfer of West Bank cities to the Palestinians following the suicide bombings last Tuesday, which murdered two Israelis and threatened to crumble the US-backed peace plan.

Over the coming days, IDF officers and Palestinian security personnel are to meet to hammer out the mechanisms of the transfer of Jericho and Kalkilya.

Furthermore, Israel will start removing roadblocks from around Palestinian cities and in the West Bank to allow a greater freedom of movement.

Meanwhile, 73 Palestinian prisoners who had been held mostly for entering Israel illegally or for criminal convictions were set free on Friday. It was the second release of prisoners and Israel saw it as a confidence-building measure, noting it was not required by the road map.

The Palestinians have dismissed it as a hollow gesture, since most were to have been freed within weeks anyway.

Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz said Israel has to take responsibility for its own security and refrain from transferring any cities to the Palestinian Authority. He added that Israel should finish the security fence quickly and include Ariel in the areas secured by the fence.

Education Minister Livnat said it is inconceivable that additional towns would be handed over to Palestinian control while terrorist attacks were taking place.

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