Israeli security officials discovered last night that the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) transferred information about the movement of IDF soldiers and Jewish residents of the city - including lists and maps - to the Tanzim terrorist organization. The Jewish Community of Hevron sent an urgent letter this morning to the IDF Commander of Hevron: \"We demand that you discontinue the movement and activity of the TIPH in Hevron\'s Jewish neighborhoods. Their activity threatens our lives. From now on, we will relate to the TIPH observers as a hostile presence.\" A spokesman for the TIPH denied the allegations and said: \"The IDF has never approached the TIPH about this accusation. If they have any accusations, they will immediately have to bring them to the head of the mission, and we will deal with it.\"
Hevron Jewish Community spokesman Noam Arnon was not surprised by the findings. In a letter to the Prime Minister Sharon, he charges that the TIPH reports have always been biased against Israel and have often been filled with fallacies. The TIPH observers, Hevron residents say, interfere with routine security measures and cause the IDF to hesitate when it is necessary to react to Arab attacks. They point out that Arab terrorists often use TIPH vehicles as cover for their sniping at soldiers and Jewish civilians.
What is their official role? \"The TIPH mandate is the result of negotiations conducted between 1994 and 1997 by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel. TIPH’s main task is to monitor and report the effort to maintain normal life in the city of Hebron and thus creating a feeling of security among the Palestinian residents of the city.\"
Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, visiting Jewish Hevron today, called for the establishment of a committee of inquiry into allegations against the TIPH, as well as into charges that UN soldiers stationed in Lebanon assisted Hizbullah terrorists in abducting three Israeli soldiers last October. Sheetrit said that in light of the recent lessons Israel has learned from the presence of international observers, Israel should adamantly oppose the stationing of any foreign forces in its territory. While in Hevron, Sheetrit toured the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the winery, the technological school, and print factory.
Hevron Jewish Community spokesman Noam Arnon was not surprised by the findings. In a letter to the Prime Minister Sharon, he charges that the TIPH reports have always been biased against Israel and have often been filled with fallacies. The TIPH observers, Hevron residents say, interfere with routine security measures and cause the IDF to hesitate when it is necessary to react to Arab attacks. They point out that Arab terrorists often use TIPH vehicles as cover for their sniping at soldiers and Jewish civilians.
What is their official role? \"The TIPH mandate is the result of negotiations conducted between 1994 and 1997 by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel. TIPH’s main task is to monitor and report the effort to maintain normal life in the city of Hebron and thus creating a feeling of security among the Palestinian residents of the city.\"
Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit, visiting Jewish Hevron today, called for the establishment of a committee of inquiry into allegations against the TIPH, as well as into charges that UN soldiers stationed in Lebanon assisted Hizbullah terrorists in abducting three Israeli soldiers last October. Sheetrit said that in light of the recent lessons Israel has learned from the presence of international observers, Israel should adamantly oppose the stationing of any foreign forces in its territory. While in Hevron, Sheetrit toured the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the winery, the technological school, and print factory.