Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened the Cabinet today to chart a response to the Hevron bloodbath. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon confirmed that which some government ministers said today, namely, that the IDF withdrawal from Hevron last month in the framework of "Judea First" enabled the Islamic Jihad terrorist cell to carry out the attack. Yaalon told the Cabinet this morning that the cell had escaped from Hevron while the army forces were there, but returned after the IDF withdrew and began planning the attack. The Prime Minister gave Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz a "green light" last night to retake positions in the Arab-controlled parts of Hevron, and to wipe out the city's terrorist infrastructure.
The Minister Sharon, the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff visited Hevron this morning. Sharon told the military leaders that there must be Jewish territorial contiguity between Hevron and Kiryat Arba. Housing Minister Natan Sharansky told Arutz-7 today that government bodies are already beginning concrete steps towards this end. The intention is to expropriate land on which stand some 15-20 Arab homes, pay reparations to the owners, and build a Jewish neighborhood of hundreds of units.
Tourism Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) had a different idea for Judaizing the area between Kiryat Arba and Hevron, calling for the construction of a promenade on which the thousands of weekly worshipers could make their way to and from the Machpelah Cave. He also said that the Jewish Community of Hevron, which numbers only some 500 people in 70 families, must be expanded.
MK Michael Kleiner said that the idea of a promenade is a good one, "but it distracts us from our main goal of dealing with terrorism… We have a transition government that can act without being bothered, and can order the IDF to use the American system of bombing military targets from the air. PA residents who wish should be afforded safe transit to Arab countries."
Public Security Minister Uzi Landau dubbed the Friday night battle, "the worst event in Hevron since the massacre of 1929." He also said that the only real response is to build a new neighborhood in Hevron, thereby strengthening its Jewish community, and added that the "Judea First" plan must be repealed.
3. Demand To Revoke Hevron Agreement
The Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) Council demands that the government officially nullify the 1997 Hevron Accords, under which Israel turned over most of the city over to the Palestinian Authority. The council has also calling on the government to undertake military operations to disarm the PA.
Chief of Staff Yaalon told the Cabinet today that Yasser Arafat is blocking all attempts to calm the situation and bring about an end to the terrorism. Foreign Minister Netanyahu then said that if so, it would be "easy to explain to the world why we are expelling him - easier than explaining why we're keeping him here." Minister Roni Milo also said that expelling Arafat must be considered, and Prime Minister Sharon then closed the issue by saying that it must be discussed in a smaller forum.
Minister Sharansky told the Cabinet today that the Hevron Agreement must be nullified: "Hevron was the last city to be formally given away, and therefore it must be the first to be officially taken back, via the formal revocation of the Hevron Agreement." Speaking later with Arutz-7, he said that the IDF must return to the PA-controlled cities: "As long as we have no one with whom to talk on the other side - and we don't; we have only enemies there - then the IDF must be in control of these cities."
Foreign Minister Netanyahu, who signed the agreement as Prime Minister in 1997, agreed that the Hevron Agreement, together with the entire Oslo Agreement, is no longer void. Prime Minister Sharon, who did not want any votes taken today, said that the Hevron Agreement is not being fulfilled and is irrelevant in any event.
Netanyahu said that we must switch from a policy of attrition to a policy of defeating the Palestinian Authority, by "destroying the headquarters, capturing the territory and cleaning it out." Sharon said that this would require the drafting of large reserve forces - though he agreed that expelling Arafat would not require the drafting of "even one reserve soldier."
Lt.-Col. (res.) David Simchon, a high-ranking Central Command officer, told Arutz-7 that the IDF's continued presence in the PA-controlled cities is a necessary security measure, and not a political one.
The Minister Sharon, the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff visited Hevron this morning. Sharon told the military leaders that there must be Jewish territorial contiguity between Hevron and Kiryat Arba. Housing Minister Natan Sharansky told Arutz-7 today that government bodies are already beginning concrete steps towards this end. The intention is to expropriate land on which stand some 15-20 Arab homes, pay reparations to the owners, and build a Jewish neighborhood of hundreds of units.
Tourism Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) had a different idea for Judaizing the area between Kiryat Arba and Hevron, calling for the construction of a promenade on which the thousands of weekly worshipers could make their way to and from the Machpelah Cave. He also said that the Jewish Community of Hevron, which numbers only some 500 people in 70 families, must be expanded.
MK Michael Kleiner said that the idea of a promenade is a good one, "but it distracts us from our main goal of dealing with terrorism… We have a transition government that can act without being bothered, and can order the IDF to use the American system of bombing military targets from the air. PA residents who wish should be afforded safe transit to Arab countries."
Public Security Minister Uzi Landau dubbed the Friday night battle, "the worst event in Hevron since the massacre of 1929." He also said that the only real response is to build a new neighborhood in Hevron, thereby strengthening its Jewish community, and added that the "Judea First" plan must be repealed.
3. Demand To Revoke Hevron Agreement
The Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) Council demands that the government officially nullify the 1997 Hevron Accords, under which Israel turned over most of the city over to the Palestinian Authority. The council has also calling on the government to undertake military operations to disarm the PA.
Chief of Staff Yaalon told the Cabinet today that Yasser Arafat is blocking all attempts to calm the situation and bring about an end to the terrorism. Foreign Minister Netanyahu then said that if so, it would be "easy to explain to the world why we are expelling him - easier than explaining why we're keeping him here." Minister Roni Milo also said that expelling Arafat must be considered, and Prime Minister Sharon then closed the issue by saying that it must be discussed in a smaller forum.
Minister Sharansky told the Cabinet today that the Hevron Agreement must be nullified: "Hevron was the last city to be formally given away, and therefore it must be the first to be officially taken back, via the formal revocation of the Hevron Agreement." Speaking later with Arutz-7, he said that the IDF must return to the PA-controlled cities: "As long as we have no one with whom to talk on the other side - and we don't; we have only enemies there - then the IDF must be in control of these cities."
Foreign Minister Netanyahu, who signed the agreement as Prime Minister in 1997, agreed that the Hevron Agreement, together with the entire Oslo Agreement, is no longer void. Prime Minister Sharon, who did not want any votes taken today, said that the Hevron Agreement is not being fulfilled and is irrelevant in any event.
Netanyahu said that we must switch from a policy of attrition to a policy of defeating the Palestinian Authority, by "destroying the headquarters, capturing the territory and cleaning it out." Sharon said that this would require the drafting of large reserve forces - though he agreed that expelling Arafat would not require the drafting of "even one reserve soldier."
Lt.-Col. (res.) David Simchon, a high-ranking Central Command officer, told Arutz-7 that the IDF's continued presence in the PA-controlled cities is a necessary security measure, and not a political one.