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Israel Rejects Arafat's Request to Fly From West Bank to Gaza
Israel rejected on Tuesday a request by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to fly from the West Bank city of Ramallah to the Gaza Strip in his personal helicopter, Israel Radio said.
Israeli military refused Tuesday to comment on the issue, but said now it is time for Arafat to stay in the territories to implement a cease-fire and battle terrorism in areas under his control.
The Israeli government decided on Saturday to ground Arafat as part of the measures taken against the Palestinians following Friday night's suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv nightclub in which 20 Israelis were killed.
Other measures included a total closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the seal of the Gaza coast by Israel's navy and the shut-down of the Gaza International Airport.
Until now, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has severely restricted Palestinian movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but begun to allow Arafat to move freely some of the Palestinian security forces in the territories to enable him to implement the cease-fire.
But no permission was given to the movement of Arafat's personal bodyguard "Force 17," which Israel claimed has been involved in attack on IDF soldiers and Jewish settlers in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.
Despite efforts made by both sides to implement the cease-fire, the IDF and Palestinians fought a heavy gun battle on Monday in souther part of the Gaza Strip, and three IDF soldiers and at least 20 Palestinians were wounded in the conflict.
The IDF said that Palestinians fired Tuesday morning an anti- tank rocket at the IDF soldiers at the District Coordination Office in Neveh Dekalim, southern Gaza Strip. The IDF returned fire.
Meanwhile, international diplomatic efforts are going on to help both sides to implement the cease-fire.
Russian Special Envoy Andrei Vdovin, who arrived here Monday evening, held his first meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres here Tuesday.
Turkish Envoy, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Logoglu, went to Ramallah Tuesday morning to discuss the cease-fire issue with Arafat.
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