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Israeli Officials Raps Tightening Blockade of Palestinian City of Ramallah
The Israeli army's tightened blockade of the West Bank city of Ramallah and other areas has sparked criticism among Israeli officials who argue the blockade would do Israel more harm than good.
Ephraim Sneh, new transportation minister who until recently served as deputy defense minister, told Army Radio on Monday that the disadvantage of the Israeli closure on Palestinian areas "is that it causes serious embitterment among the general public, the sense that they have nothing left to lose, and it also causes the state of Israel severe damage internationally."
He called on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who intends to finalize the makeup of his security cabinet on Monday, to include his cabinet in making security policies.
Minister of Science, Culture and Sports Matan Vilnai, a former senior army officer, said that through "the injury to innocent populations, we are pushing more and more Palestinians to the path of terror."
On Sunday, the Israeli army tightened its siege on Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the West Bank, saying that the move was to thwart a planned terrorist attack.
Palestinians said blockades around the West Bank cities of Jericho and Jenin were also enhanced.
Israel has sealed off the West Bank and Gaza since the start of the Palestinian uprising late last September, citing security reasons.
The Palestinians view the blockade as collective punishment, which barred more than 100,000 Palestinians from work in Israel and strangled their economy.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who was reportedly not notified in advance of the decision to tighten the blockade on Sunday, said the siege policy "requires review and will be reviewed."
Israel Radio Monday quoted unnamed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers as saying the blockades were liable to turn formerly unradicalized Palestinians into militants.
The radio report said that officers of the Central Command, which oversees IDF operations in the West Bank, "dismissed" the blockade, saying that it could spawn future terrorism.
In reaction to criticism, the Israeli Prime Minister's office issued a statement to defend the move, saying that the the closure on Ramallah was tightened "in the wake of specific information on a terrorist attack from within the city."
Israel Radio quoted an unnamed senior security official as disclosing that a number of those suspected of involvement in the planned attack were arrested in an operation the official said was made possible by the closure clamped on the city.
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