This Week
War On Terrorism
Peace Push
U.N. opening, domestic politics hurry Israeli peace proposal.
16 automatic rifle during the afternoon rush hour.
Police identified one of the dead as Shoshana Ben-
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Yishai, a 16-year-old who immigrated to Israel with her
parents from Long Island when she was 5 years old.
New York
Three Israelis — a border policeman, a soldier and
espite a daily drumbeat of terror and
a civilian — shot and killed the gunman. The gun-
death in the Middle East, efforts contin-
man was a member of Islamic Jihad from the West
ue to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough.
Bank city of Hebron, Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey
Levy said.
In the past week, for example, Israeli Foreign
The attack took place hours after Defense Minister
Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said at Israel's weekly Cabinet
Authority leader Yasser Arafat met twice,
meeting that Israeli troops would withdraw from the
and Peres reportedly presented a peace
West Bank city of Kalkilya.
plan to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Early Monday, Israeli forces did withdraw. The
Sharon.
army said it would remain in Israeli-controlled terri-
.. The timing of the diplomatic push may
tory nearby "to prevent terror activities" launched
not be coincidental, coming days before the U.N.
from areas under Palestinian control.
General Assembly convenes this weekend.
In its biggest operation in areas under Palestinian
On Tuesday, the London-based Al-Hayat newspa-
control since the two sides signed their first interim
per reported Arafat may unilaterally declare a
peace accords in 1993, Israel took up positions last
Palestinian state at the General Assembly, believing
month in and around the largest Palestinian-con-
More
Attacks
he will receive wide backing.
trolled cities in the West Bank.
In the meantime, the violence continues.
Peres said he does not know about such plans, but
Criticized by the United States and other Western
In
the
bloodiest
incident
this
week,
a
Palestinian
that Arafat would "be taking a huge risk, because it
nations,
the operation was launched to crack down
gunman opened fire Sunday on a bus in the French
will be a Palestinian state without borders." Just the
on
terrorism
after the Oct. 17 assassination of Israeli
Hill neighborhood of northern Jerusalem.
same, the possibility that Arafat may spring a surprise
Tourism
Minister
Rehavam Ze'evi by a Palestinian
Two people were killed and 50 injured when the
on Israel could help explain Peres' urgency in coming
squad.
gunman sprayed the No. 25 Egged bus with an M-
up with a peace plan.
Israeli troops have since withdrawn from
"We cannot remain without a plan," Peres said. "If
Bethlehem and Beit Jalla. On Tuesday-, Ben-Eliezer
we don't take the initiative, they will take the initia-
ordered the Israel Defense Forces to prepare to with-
tive from us." There have been reports for more than
draw from Ramallah, while maintaining a tight clo-
a week that Peres was drafting a peace initiative. On
sure around the city.
Sunday, according to Ha'aretz, he presented it to
IDF troops remain in Tulkarm and Jenin.
Sharon.
On Tuesday, in a signal that Israel would change its
THE ISSUE
Two days later, Peres told Israel Radio that he
anti-terror strategy, Sharon spokesman Ra'anan
To thwart terrorism directed at Israeli neighbor-
wanted to reach an agreement with Sharon on a
Gissin said Israel plans to rely less on large-scale mili-
hoods, the Israel Defense Forces entered the
common plan to present to the Palestinian Authority.
tary operations and more on "guerrilla warfare" tac-
Palestinian
Christian
towns
of
Bethlehem
and
I3eit
According to Ha'aretz, the Peres plan includes the
tics against suspected terrorists.
Jalla late last month. They had hesitated to do so
following:
"We'll rely more on intelligence" and "pinpointed
for several months, fearing international condem-
operations,"
he said.
nation if churches or other Christian shrines were
On
Monday,
three Israelis were wounded when a
COM
damaged in the operation. But the Christian
Peace Proposal
bomb
exploded
in an Israeli settlement near the West
munity in those towns is primarily not militant.
A demilitarized Palestinian state will be created, with
Bank city of Jenin. One suffered moderate wounds
Israel entered to combat the terrorists who were
its borders determined through negotiations;
and the other two light injuries in the blast at a fac-
using the towns for "cover."
• Buffer zones will be created between Israel and
tory in Shaked.
the West Bank;
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.
BEHIND
THE
ISSUE
• The plan would be implemented first in the Gaza
Following the bombing, Israeli officials said the attack
The Christian population of the West Bank has
Strip, later in the West Bank;
would delay plans to withdraw troops from Jenin.
dwindled significantly in recent years, including
• The status quo will remain in Jerusalem, includ-
In other violence, Palestinian gunmen shot and
the past eight, when the area has been under the
ing Palestinian control over the Temple Mount. If it
killed an Israeli soldier, Staff Sgt. Raz Mintz, 19, of
control of the Palestinian Authority. Christians in
becomes impossible to reach agreement on
Haifa last Friday night.
Bethlehem, the traditional town of Jesus' birth, are
Jerusalem, the issue will be postponed;
The gunmen also lightly wounded another soldier
now a minority. Many Christians in neighboring
.• Palestinian refugees will not return to homes they
in the drive-by shooting, which occurred at a road-
Beit Jalla are fleeing, as Israel responds to the
abandoned in Israel during the 1948 war. An inter-
block north of Beit El.
Palestinian militants who enter Beit Jalla to target
national panel will be created to arrange compensa-
The Al Aksa Brigade, which is affiliated with
Israel from their town.
tion for Palestinian refugees, as well as for Jewish
Arafat's Farah movement, claimed responsibility for
— Allan Gale, Jewish Community Council
refugees from Arab countries;
the attack. Cl
ofMetropolitan Detroit
• There will be no Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
MITCHELL DANOW
until there is a complete cessation of violence, a fre-
quent demand of Sharon.
The Peres plan also calls for the United States to
guarantee Israel's final borders, Ha'aretz reported,
adding that Israel will seek a defense treaty with the
United States to accompany any final peace treaty
with the Palestinians.
As Sharon studies Peres' proposals, he knows that
his unity government could hang in the balance.
Avigdor Lieberman, head of the hawkish
National Unity bloc, threatened Tuesday
to leave the government if Sharon accepts
the Peres plan.
On the other hand, Peres is under
increasing pressure from his Labor Party
to pull out of the government unless Sharon shows
he is serious about entering negotiations with the
Palestinians.
ANALYSIS
Israel insight
11/9
2001
16