Israel let out a collective sigh of relief today, as the major terrorist attack - word of which was widely hinted at over the past few days and fear of which led to the intense closures on Palestinian Authority cities - was finally revealed and apparently averted.
The security forces revealed that they had arrested three Fatah-Tanzim terrorists. At least two of them admitted that they had been on their way to perpetrate major terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, this past Sunday. The attacks were to have been in the neighborhood of N\'vei Yaakov, as well as in gas stations and social clubs. The terrorist cell is also responsible for the murder of eight other Israelis and the wounding of 20 in previous attacks, and was personally commanded by the commander of Yasser Arafat\'s personal Force 17 guard. They admitted to their interrogators that they enjoyed the protection of Palestinian Authority agents in Ramallah, and that their connection with them was via soldiers of Arafat\'s Force 17.
Other proof of Yasser Arafat\'s direct involvement in terrorism against Israel was provided by the Israeli Shabak (General Security Service) today. A PA para-military officer by the name of Abdel Karim Abu Rabia, under arrest in Israel, told his GSS interrogators about a meeting of terrorist leaders that took place three months ago in Tulkarm. One of the men there said that the Palestinian population was suffering as a result of the activities of one of the local terrorist cells, under the leadership of Dr. Tabet Tabet. The latter said, however, that he would not stop the shooting unless he received a specific directive to that effect from Yasser Arafat. The order never came, and Tabet was soon killed by Israeli forces. Some criticized the killing at the time, saying that Tabet had been involved only in political matters. After his death, shooting on Israeli forces in the area essentially stopped.
The security forces revealed that they had arrested three Fatah-Tanzim terrorists. At least two of them admitted that they had been on their way to perpetrate major terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, this past Sunday. The attacks were to have been in the neighborhood of N\'vei Yaakov, as well as in gas stations and social clubs. The terrorist cell is also responsible for the murder of eight other Israelis and the wounding of 20 in previous attacks, and was personally commanded by the commander of Yasser Arafat\'s personal Force 17 guard. They admitted to their interrogators that they enjoyed the protection of Palestinian Authority agents in Ramallah, and that their connection with them was via soldiers of Arafat\'s Force 17.
Other proof of Yasser Arafat\'s direct involvement in terrorism against Israel was provided by the Israeli Shabak (General Security Service) today. A PA para-military officer by the name of Abdel Karim Abu Rabia, under arrest in Israel, told his GSS interrogators about a meeting of terrorist leaders that took place three months ago in Tulkarm. One of the men there said that the Palestinian population was suffering as a result of the activities of one of the local terrorist cells, under the leadership of Dr. Tabet Tabet. The latter said, however, that he would not stop the shooting unless he received a specific directive to that effect from Yasser Arafat. The order never came, and Tabet was soon killed by Israeli forces. Some criticized the killing at the time, saying that Tabet had been involved only in political matters. After his death, shooting on Israeli forces in the area essentially stopped.