The PLO continues to acquire weapons and ammunition for their war against Israel. Israel Radio Arab Affairs correspondent Avi Yissakharov reported that arms are still being smuggled via tunnels in Rafiah that link Egypt to the Gaza strip. In addition, Arab sources told Yissakharov that the PLO police\'s finance officer, Fuad Shubaki, left for Jordan and Iraq on a \"fund raising trip,\" which, according to Israeli security sources, is a mission to buy weapons for the PLO to be smuggled into Israel from 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 in 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 a key issue in the current talks between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and the PLO\'s Abu Ala. Lerner said that Arafat is not likely to fulfill his Oslo obligation to confiscate the illegal weapons and transfer them to an American representative. The Foreign Ministry has launched a campaign to encourage international pressure on Arafat to confiscate illegal weapons.
Regarding Arafat\'s obligation to arrest Arab terrorists, Yissakharov reported that the Palestinian Authority offered members of the 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 the 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 in 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 a key issue in the current talks between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and the PLO\'s Abu Ala. Lerner said that Arafat is not likely to fulfill his Oslo obligation to confiscate the illegal weapons and transfer them to an American representative. The Foreign Ministry has launched a campaign to encourage international pressure on Arafat to confiscate illegal weapons.
Regarding Arafat\'s obligation to arrest Arab terrorists, Yissakharov reported that the Palestinian Authority offered members of the 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 the Islamic Jihad.