The Hindu : Israeli army asked to `neutralise' Arafat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 01, 2002

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Israeli army asked to `neutralise' Arafat

An Israeli tank manoeuvres around the compound of the headquarters of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday. — PTI

JERUSALEM, MARCH 31. The Israeli army has been ordered to ``neutralise'' the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, without attacking him physically, the military spokesman, Ron Kitrey, said today. However, the Palestinian leader, under assault in his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, could be hit ``accidentally.'' Asked on public radio what he meant by ``neutralise,'' Gen. Kitrey said he was ``not here to play semantic games... We are aware of the fact that Arafat could be hit accidentally," and warned, ``he who plays with fire can get burnt.'' The operation would last as long as necessary ``and I think it will be many days''.

The army has declared Ramallah a closed military area and ordered all mediapersons to leave the area. It has cut off water and electricity to Arafat's compound but said yesterday that it had let Palestinian ambulances deliver food, bottled water and candles. It conducted house-to-house searches here today, arresting at least 25 men who were taken away with their hands tied behind their backs. Seven policemen were arrested.

Sources said the Israeli forces were looking for Marwan Barghouthi, senior leader of Arafat's Fatah organisation in the West Bank. Israel blames him for instigating attacks by the Palestinian militants.

Blast claims 12 lives

In a related development, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded restaurant near a shopping mall in the northern port city of Haifa, killing at least 12 persons and wounding 40 in the fourth Palestinian attack in Israel in five days. Unofficial police reports said 14 persons were killed. There were rival claims of responsibility by two Islamic militant groups, the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

Pope appeals for peace

The Pope made an Easter appeal for peace while the United Nations has called for lifting of the siege around Arafat's headquarters. ``It seems that war has been declared on peace,'' Pope John Paul said in his Easter Sunday message to the world.

But Palestinian officials said Israel was trying to storm the building where Arafat is holed up. Witnesses said at least two persons were killed and six of Arafat's guards wounded in the latest fighting in Ramallah. Nabil Abu Rdainah, an Arafat aide, said the Israeli forces were trying to punch their way into a new area of the battered compound. — AP, AFP, Reuters

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