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Israel to Continue Liquidation Policy Against Palestinians: Radio
Israel's inner-circle security cabinet decided on Tuesday to continue its policy of eliminating Palestinian activists suspected of carrying out attacks against Israeli targets, Israel Radio reported.
The cabinet, composed of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, convened an emergency session Tuesday morning to discuss the ongoing wave of violence with the Palestinians.
Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pelosoff, Finance Minister Silvan Shalom as well as heads of the military establishment also attended the meeting.
Besides, a broader security cabinet meeting reportedly will be convened Wednesday to further discuss decisions in the light of the current situation.
Senior Israeli sources were quoted as saying that if the situation continues to deteriorate, Israel will respond with force despite the upcoming visit by Sharon to Germany and France on Thursday.
Israel resumed its policy of liquidation Sunday night, when the Israeli army assassinated near the West Bank city of Jenin three members of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) suspected of preparing for bomb attacks inside Israel.
Since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence late last September, Israel has often used helicopters and bombs to liquidate Palestinian activists who were suspected of having carried out or planned attacks against Israel. About 30 Palestinian activists have been assassinated since then.
After the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the two sides took effect on June 13, Israel has reduced the assassinations against the Palestinians.
Israel Radio on Tuesday also quoted Palestinian sources saying that the Israeli and Palestinian security officials are to meet again on Friday to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire.
The security officials from the two sides met in Tel Aviv Monday night with the mediation of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire, but the meeting ended with no results.
A senior Palestinian official told Israel Radio that the Palestinian officials insisted that Israel agree to a seven-day quiet period which ends Wednesday. Israel, however, has said the countdown for the quiet period has not started.
According to the U.S.-mediated ceasefire timetable, there has to be a seven-day quiet, followed by a six-week cooling-off period before the implementation of any confidence-building measures.
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