PA rejects Israeli list, presents its own

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA, AUG. 7. The Palestinian Authority has rejected Israel's demand that they arrest seven men named on a list of wanted militants and has instead demanded that Israel take into custody 50 Jewish extremists accusing them of perpetrating violence against Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the Israeli press has started taking note of signs of vulnerability in the position of the Palestinian Authority President, Mr. Yasser Arafat, claiming that the Israeli government is caught up in a debate over how they should respond. Israel's Defence Ministry had put out the list of seven wanted men two days ago.

It blandly said requests for their arrest had been forwarded to the Palestinian Authority which had however not bothered to take any action against them.

Given the background where Israel has been selectively targeting Palestinian militants and liquidating them, this list appeared to be little more than a ``hit list'' of those Palestinians who are most likely to be killed next.

In rejecting the Israeli list, officials of the Palestinian Authority said that this policy was one of public execution.

Some of the names on the list were also imaginary, they added.

The Palestinian Authority also said Israel must arrest the 50 extremists it had named.

Most of them were said to be from among the settlers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, who had committed acts of vigilantism against Palestinian civilians. Incidentally, the Israeli police have yet to catch members of a Jewish extremist group who are believed to have killed two adults and a child in a drive by shooting a couple of weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the Israeli press has given prominence to a reported comment by Mr. Arafat while in Rome that he would very likely be killed if he asked the Palestinians to stop fighting before international observers were posted in the territories to monitor a cease-fire.

This comment has reportedly been passed on to Israel's Prime Minister, Mr. Ariel Sharon, whose only reply was that his Government would not countenance the posting of international observers on their land.

Mr. Arafat was also reported to have written to the U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, but it was not clear whether it was on the same subject.

Mr. Arafat apparently believes that he is now under pressure from Hamas which has gained a lot of popular support for its role in the intifada.

Mr. Arafat is not in a position to ask them to refrain from violence unless he can show some tangible gains.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Shimon Peres, is reported to have taken note of Mr. Arafat's distress and is said to be trying to convince Mr. Sharon that Israel should agree to some concessions even if it is only by way of keeping up their engagement with the Palestinian leader.

This debate is said to be continuing.

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Section  : International
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