Israel Agrees to End Siege at Arafat's Compound

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 29, 2002

Israel Agrees to End Siege at Arafat's Compound

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet on Sunday approved a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the month-old Israeli siege at Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah, Israeli government sources said.

The vote came as the Cabinet also held an extended debate on whether to cooperate with a U.N. fact-finding team that was scheduled to arrive Sunday to investigate Israel's military operation in the Jenin refugee camp.

The U.S. plan calls for U.S. and British personnel to guard six Palestinians wanted by Israel. In turn, Arafat would be allowed to leave his compound and move freely in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, an Israeli source said.

Mohammed Dahlan, a senior Palestinian security chief, said the U.S. plan had not been formally presented to the Palestinians. He noted that the Palestinians are opposed to "turning our prisoners over to the Israelis or allowing them to be imprisoned outside the Palestinian territories."

It was not clear exactly where the six wanted Palestinian men would be imprisoned, but sources said it would be somewhere in the Palestinian territories.

President Bush raised the proposal Saturday in a telephone conversation with Sharon, and an official letter outlining it was sent by Secretary of State Colin Powell, according to Israel.

The United States Embassy in Israel declined to comment.

If the Palestinians accept the plan, it could end the long-running standoff at the shell-shattered compound. Arafat has been confined to the compound since early December, aside from a few brief trips into Ramallah. He has not been able to leave his office building in the center of the compound since March 29, the first day of Israel's military incursion into the West Bank.

The Israelis have sought custody of five Palestinians accused of involvement in the October killing of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi, and a sixth man, accused of organizing a weapons shipment from Iran that was seized by Israel in the Red Sea in January.

The Palestinians have arrested the six and were holding them at a prison in Arafat's compound before the Israeli incursion. The six were moved into Arafat's offices to keep them out of Israeli hands.

Four of the men were convicted of Zeevi's killing in a brief trial last week, and they received sentences ranging from one to 18 years. Israel had insisted it wanted the men tried in Israel, but agreed to the U.S. compromise.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Sharon Proposes to Delay Decision on UN Jenin Probe

Bush Proposes Transferring Killers in Compound to Britain: Sharon

>> Full Coverage

Know Who to Love, Who to Hate ( 36 Messages)

China Expresses Strong Dissatisfaction over Japanese PM's Shrine Visit ( 95 Messages)

Jiang Calls for Joint Efforts Towards Growth of Sino-US Ties ( 11 Messages)

Protests Prompt Retailer to Pull T-shirts Mocking Chinese-Americans ( 132 Messages)

Be Vigilant against 'New Empire Theory' ( 4 Messages)