Israeli launched its broadest offensive against Palestinian
terrorists early this week, so far entering seven refugee
camps and several cities, including Ramallah early on Tuesday
morning. Military sources said the operation in Ramallah was
aimed at taking control over most of the city and the refugee
camps surrounding it. Press reports say that the army has
deployed most of its standing army and has canceled training
courses,
whose staff and instructors are also all being deployed in
the missions.
Neither military nor political sources have spoken about the
overall strategy of the operations. However it is clear that
it
is a major operation and that it will probably have political
as well as military consequences.
One of the early points
that was made, was that the Palestinian refugee camps, which
are strongholds of the terrorists and are even off-limits for
Palestinian Authority security services, are not outside of
Israeli Army capabilities and should not be considered havens
by Palestinians. There are 19 such camps in the West Bank,
eight in the Gaza Strip and dozens more in Lebanon, Syria and
Jordan.
In the Gaza Strip, the operation in the Jabalya refugee camp,
the largest of all camps and a stronghold of Hamas, ended.
Seventeen Palestinians were killed. IDF troops destroyed
several buildings in the camp, some used by Palestinian
security, and blew up a metal works factory in which Kassam
rockets and other weapons were manufactured.
IDF tanks and helicopters did not meet substantial
Palestinian resistance entering Ramallah. Dozens of armed
Palestinians were seen fleeing toward the center of the city.
The IDF has taken control over the entire city, but so far
not of the city center. IDF paratroops also moved into the
Amari refugee camp next to Ramallah to dismantle the
terrorist infrastructure there.
Some observers said that Palestinians fleeing from assaults
on other refugee camps went to Ramallah. The current IDF
operation may be aimed at capturing them.
On Monday, Israeli troops swept through the West Bank town of
Qalqilyah and the Deheishe refugee camp, questioning more
than 1,100 Palestinians and confiscating weapons and
explosives. A military statement early Tuesday said soldiers
had left the Deheishe camp. Palestinians said that the IDF
took over the town of Wadi al Salka in the center of the Gaza
Strip on Tuesday morning.
Altogether thousands have been questioned and hundreds
detained since the IDF operations began on March 1. The IDF
has entered some camps more than once.
The effects of the military moves are not readily apparent
since there is so little organizational structure in the
Palestinian Authority. The IDF has functioned very well,
accomplishing its objectives smoothly and with minimal
casualties to itself and also minimal civilian casualties on
the Palestinian side. Even the Palestinians have admitted
that most of those killed were armed. The IDF has also
captured very substantial amounts of weapons.
As U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni prepared to leave for the region
to try to achieve a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon
has made several diplomatic moves.
On Monday he decided to permit Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser Arafat to travel throughout Judea, Samaria, and the
Gaza Strip. However Arafat does not have permission to leave
and reenter. There is an Arab summit meeting in Beirut at the
end of March to which Arafat was invited. Saudi Arabia has
said it will only present its peace initiative at the summit
if Arafat attends.
Sharon released Arafat from Ramallah following the arrest of
all six men wanted for the assassination of former tourism
minister Rechavam Ze'evi, as well as of Fuad Shubaki, who is
responsible for the PA's liaisons with Iran and was the
mastermind behind the Karine A arms shipment.
The Prime Minister's Office said if the PA releases any of
the men, the state will consider itself free to take the
appropriate measures.
Prime Minister Sharon also appeared to back down from his
longstanding demand for seven days of complete cessation of
terrorism before beginning negotiations. Sharon said that he
is willing to discuss a cease fire while still under fire,
but he will not enter into political discussions.
So Sharon has loosened his public political stance by freeing
Arafat from Ramallah and backing down from his demand for
seven days of quiet, while increasing the military pressure
with operations against the refugee camps and Palestinian
cities.
A crowd estimated by organizers at more than 100,000, and by
some members of the press at 60,000, gathered in Tel Aviv's
Rabin Square Monday night to call on Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, end the
terror, and "rid the area of terrorists and [their] weapons."
It was organized by the Council of Jewish Communities in
Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip.
The most highly anticipated speech of the night came from
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Effie Eitam, who is said to be organizing a
new religious Zionist political movement.
In related developments, some 202 members of the US House of
Representatives have signed a letter to President George W.
Bush calling on him to add Arafat's Fatah-linked Tanzim,
Force 17, and the Aksa Martyrs Brigades to the US list of
foreign terrorist organizations. The letter is not likely to
have much effect.
This week, the US also marked six months since the September
11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. There were
ceremonies at the World Trade Center and at the White House,
where Bush warned similar terror could strike again at "any
center of civilization."
Vice President Dick Cheney, at the start of a tour through
the Middle East, stopped in London for consultations with
Prime Minister Tony Blair. Cheney will meet with all major
Arab leaders before visiting Israel.
Some Israeli officials have expressed concern Arab leaders
will tell Cheney there can be no support for a US offensive
against Saddam Hussein unless the US pressures Israel to stop
its military offensive against the Palestinians. So far,
Cheney has rejected the linkage.
