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Israel may soften exile policy

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) JULY 21. After debating the option to exile relatives of those involved in recent terrorist attacks, Israeli authorities are veering round to the view that only a few of the family members of the attackers should be expelled to the Gaza Strip.

Two suicide bombings in Tel Aviv and an attack on a bus rocked Israel in the last week.

The Israeli proposal to exile relatives of attackers has been strongly opposed in the Arab world, the United States and the United Nations.

According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, consultations between the Israeli Attorney General, Elyakim Rubinstein, and the representatives of the defence department led to the conclusion that the relatives of the attackers could not be punished collectively.

Expulsions could be carried out only on an individual basis and after it had been established that the person in question was directly involved in terror incidents.

Israeli defence forces, meanwhile, demolished the homes of the Hamas activist, Nasser Asida, who allegedly planned the attack on an Israeli bus and of Ali Ajouri, whom the Israelis accuse of sending the two suicide bombers to Tel Aviv.

The 21 individuals who have been arrested include the fathers and brothers of Asida and Ajouri.

The daily, quoting Israeli defence forces, concludes that only a few of the 21 arrested will be exiled to Gaza. The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, is expected to abide by the advice of the Attorney General. The leader of the Labour party and Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, has said he would back the expulsions provided they were in accordance with Israeli and international law.

Israeli security forces are of the view that the expulsions will serve two objectives. First, they will help destroy the support network on which suicide bombers depend. Second, it would prevent future attacks.

Arab leaders, however, contest this view. According to the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, the Israeli actions, if executed, would be counter-productive and would lead to more suicide bombings.

The Arab League has said that the destruction of homes and the proposal to exile families of the attackers violated international law.

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