The PLO continues to acquire weapons and ammunition for their war against Israel. According to Israel Radio Arab Affairs correspondent Avi Yissakharov, arms are being smuggled via tunnels in Rafiah that link Egypt to Israel. In addition, Arab sources told Yissakharov that Fuad Shubaki, who is in charge of finance for the Palestinian Police in Gaza, has left for Jordan and Iraq on a \"fund raising trip.\" Israeli security sources however say that Shubaki is trying to buy weapons for the PLO to be smuggled into Israel via Jordan.
Prime Minister Sharon has made it clear that he considers the collection of illegal weapons from the PLO and their transfer to American representatives a necessary element to any future cease-fire period.
According to Dr. Aaron Lerner of the Independent Media Review and Analysis (IMRA), the issue of illegal weapons is actually the key barrier to progress in the current talks between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and the Palestinian representative Abu Ala. Lerner points out that Arafat is not likely to fulfill his obligations under Oslo and confiscate the illegal weapons because their collection and transfer to an American representative would constitute, an irreversible action.
\"It takes no time at all [for Arafat] to empty the jails and crank up the propaganda machine,\" says Lerner, \"but one thing is certain: the CIA can\'t be expected to truck back the assault rifles, rockets, and missiles, when Arafat decides to return to violence.\" The Foreign Ministry has launched a campaign to encourage international pressure on Arafat to confiscate illegal weapons.
Yissakharov also reported this morning that he learned from Palestinian and Israeli security sources that the Palestinian Authority offered members of Yasser Arafat\'s Fatah Tanzim a payment of NIS 3,000 each to sit in jail for a month so that they could be presented to visiting representatives of the European Union as jailed members of Islamic Jihad.
Prime Minister Sharon has made it clear that he considers the collection of illegal weapons from the PLO and their transfer to American representatives a necessary element to any future cease-fire period.
According to Dr. Aaron Lerner of the Independent Media Review and Analysis (IMRA), the issue of illegal weapons is actually the key barrier to progress in the current talks between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and the Palestinian representative Abu Ala. Lerner points out that Arafat is not likely to fulfill his obligations under Oslo and confiscate the illegal weapons because their collection and transfer to an American representative would constitute, an irreversible action.
\"It takes no time at all [for Arafat] to empty the jails and crank up the propaganda machine,\" says Lerner, \"but one thing is certain: the CIA can\'t be expected to truck back the assault rifles, rockets, and missiles, when Arafat decides to return to violence.\" The Foreign Ministry has launched a campaign to encourage international pressure on Arafat to confiscate illegal weapons.
Yissakharov also reported this morning that he learned from Palestinian and Israeli security sources that the Palestinian Authority offered members of Yasser Arafat\'s Fatah Tanzim a payment of NIS 3,000 each to sit in jail for a month so that they could be presented to visiting representatives of the European Union as jailed members of Islamic Jihad.