US President George Bush praised the statement Arafat released yesterday of his intent to fight terrorism, calling it a very \"positive statement.\" He added that he hopes Arafat backs up his words with action. Analyst Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA (\"www.imra.org.il\") notes that Arafat promised not to kill Israeli \"civilians,\" making it clear in context that this does not include soldiers or residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. Lerner writes,
\"It should be noted that under Oslo, Yasser Arafat solemnly committed the Palestinian People not to use violence, without any \'loopholes\' for killing soldiers or Israelis beyond the Green Line. Unfortunately, it would appear that President Bush, by his praise, gives a green light to the Palestinians to continue murdering Israeli security forces as well as Israeli civilians beyond the 1967 line.\"
Excerpts from Arafat\'s statement:
\"I have issued my orders to the Palestinian security forces to confront and obstruct any terrorist act against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian party while concurrently and in parallel, [I have instructed them] to confront any aggression against Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army and settlers, which we completely condemn [as well]...\"
CNN reported that Arafat \"issued an unprecedented order to Palestinian security forces Wednesday \'to confront and prevent any terror attack against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian side.\'\" Yisrael Medad of Israel Media Watch opines that the word \"unprecedented\" arouses the question, \"Wasn\'t that what Arafat was supposed to be doing these past 8.5 years? Wasn\'t he have supposed to have made many declarations like these?\"
\"It should be noted that under Oslo, Yasser Arafat solemnly committed the Palestinian People not to use violence, without any \'loopholes\' for killing soldiers or Israelis beyond the Green Line. Unfortunately, it would appear that President Bush, by his praise, gives a green light to the Palestinians to continue murdering Israeli security forces as well as Israeli civilians beyond the 1967 line.\"
Excerpts from Arafat\'s statement:
\"I have issued my orders to the Palestinian security forces to confront and obstruct any terrorist act against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian party while concurrently and in parallel, [I have instructed them] to confront any aggression against Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army and settlers, which we completely condemn [as well]...\"
CNN reported that Arafat \"issued an unprecedented order to Palestinian security forces Wednesday \'to confront and prevent any terror attack against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian side.\'\" Yisrael Medad of Israel Media Watch opines that the word \"unprecedented\" arouses the question, \"Wasn\'t that what Arafat was supposed to be doing these past 8.5 years? Wasn\'t he have supposed to have made many declarations like these?\"