Mideast War Of Words
Responding to Palestinian threats to take over disputed West Bank land, an Israeli Cabinet minister warned Friday that Israel would win any confrontation with Palestinian police.
Police Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami made the comments after Palestinian parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia said Palestinian security forces were prepared to occupy parts of the West Bank if Israel refuses to carry out land transfer agreements.
The verbal escalation came a day after Israeli security forces destroyed a weapons cache of the Islamic militant group Hamas and killed three Hamas gunmen who officials say had plotted to carry out large-scale bombing attacks in Israel.
The hideout, an apartment in the Arab town of Taibeh in northern Israel, was seized and destroyed after a day of clashes, complete with bombs and gunfire.
Digging through the rubble Friday, police found the bodies of two terrorists. Two others were killed Thursday and one surrendered. A police officer at the scene said all five known members of the cell are now accounted for.
With help from Palestinian security forces, Israel has succeeded in thwarting several terrorist attacks in recent weeks, but Ben-Ami warned that Palestinian militants were not giving up.
Frustration has run high in the Palestinian areas because of the freeze in peace talks. Negotiations over implementing an interim peace accord broke down last month in disagreement over which territories the Israelis would hand over. Talks on a final peace treaty also are frozen.
Qureia hinted Thursday at a violent confrontation with Israel over the disputed land the first time a senior Palestinian leader has done so.
He said Israel must turn over 93 percent of the West Bank under the interim accords. He charged that Israel was trying to evade its obligations.
"We will deliver it (the land) to ourselves and we will put our Palestinian police there" if the delays continue, warned Qureia.
Responding Friday, Ben-Ami said the Palestinians should not "add a war of words to the existing political disagreements." He said the Palestinians "understand very well that in unilateral steps, Israel is stronger."
The portion of the West Bank that Qureia referred to is now under Palestinian civilian control, but Israel is in charge of security. A unilateral move by uniformed Palestinian forces to secure the territory would probably spark an Israeli response.
Anticipating a tough Israeli reaction, Qureia - a key negotiator in reaching the first accord in 1993 - said the Palestinian move would not be easy, but "the Palestinian people must be prepared for any developments."
The interim agreements are somewhat vague concerning land transfers. They say that in the final stage before a full peace treaty, only Jewish settlements, border areas and specified military locations should remain in Israeli hands.
The Palestinians, who now control 40 percen of the West Bank, take that to mean they should be controlling more than 90 percent of the land.
Israel has disputed that interpretation and has said those expectations are unrealistic.
Despite the breakdown in talks, Israeli and Palestinian security forces have continued to cooperate on preventing terrorist attacks.
Acting on tips from Palestinian intelligence, Israeli forces surrounded the Taibeh apartment early Thursday. One man inside surrendered, and two others were killed in an exchange of fire. Police opened fire again as a bulldozer destroyed the building, and two bodies were discovered under the rubble.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak said the operation prevented a large-scale terrorist attack against Israelis.
By Mark Lavie
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