Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, speaking from Paris this afternoon, said that the Palestinians are not observing the ceasefire as called for in the Tenet agreement. Earlier, IDF officials acknowledged a \"certain reduction\" in Palestinian violence, but noted that Arafat is not taking the necessary steps in the war against terrorism such as arresting terrorists. Tanzim head Hussein A-Sheikh said that his organization has decided to accept Arafat\'s ceasefire orders. Israel Radio reported last night, in the name of \"senior Israeli government sources,\" that arch-terrorists Muhammed Def and Abu Hanoud are preparing terrorist attacks and Arafat has not ordered their arrest or that of other Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. The sources say there will be no negotiations or implementation of the Mitchell Report if Arafat does not stop the terror and violence.
Despite the continuing Palestinian attacks, Israel continues to relax security restrictions on PA residents, in keeping with the US-brokered ceasefire agreement: Fishing privileges for PA residents have been extended, the Rafiach Crossing to Egypt and the Allenby Bridge to Jordan have been opened, the closure was removed from Jericho, and roadblocks and checkpoints continue to be removed. Israeli and Palestinian officers jointly toured the Netzarim Junction area in Gaza this afternoon, in an effort to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire.
The Yesha Council announced today that it has learned that the Sharon government has instructed the IDF to lift the closure on all cities in Judea and Samaria, with the exception of Hevron and Ramallah. The Council warns that this decision will lead to a bloodbath, and that the responsibility for such lies with the government that \"prefers to ignore the warning signs that Arafat has long posted on this path.\"
Despite the continuing Palestinian attacks, Israel continues to relax security restrictions on PA residents, in keeping with the US-brokered ceasefire agreement: Fishing privileges for PA residents have been extended, the Rafiach Crossing to Egypt and the Allenby Bridge to Jordan have been opened, the closure was removed from Jericho, and roadblocks and checkpoints continue to be removed. Israeli and Palestinian officers jointly toured the Netzarim Junction area in Gaza this afternoon, in an effort to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire.
The Yesha Council announced today that it has learned that the Sharon government has instructed the IDF to lift the closure on all cities in Judea and Samaria, with the exception of Hevron and Ramallah. The Council warns that this decision will lead to a bloodbath, and that the responsibility for such lies with the government that \"prefers to ignore the warning signs that Arafat has long posted on this path.\"