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Israeli Violence Continues, Bush Claims It Democracy
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Bush
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RAMALLAH, March 30 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Israeli forces have moved into Arafat’s offices and warned Ramallah’s mayor they would be moving into the office to capture and detain certain Palestinian figures they want, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israeli occupation forces also blew up a building near Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s compound in Ramallah, Qatar-based Al Jazeera Satellite Television reported.
In another development, an explosion has taken place, late Saturday, in a restaurant in Tel Aviv, for which Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade has claimed responsibility, according to GNA.
Al-Jazeera has reported that at least 24 Israelis have been wounded in this operation.
American President George W Bush said “Israel is a democratic country and is responding to its people needs and is taking necessary measures to protect itself. He said the blame falls on Arafat for not being firmer with his security forces and the Palestinian groups carrying out martyr operations” Al Jazeera reported.
Bush called on Israel to make sure the steps it will take will be to ensure self-defense will not close the doors to peace.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent Hafez Al Meirazi said Bush’s statements were even more depressing than those of American Foreign Minister Colin Powell. He said these statements were being met by criticism and anger in the Arab and Muslim world.
A source told IslamOnline that Bush was manipulating the situation in his favor as he was trying to gain the votes of the Jewish lobby for the upcoming elections, which will determine if Bush will be re-elected into office or not
The United States had previous knowledge of the Israeli attacks that were to target Palestinian territory and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s compound before they happened, the Guardian reported.
American Foreign Minister Colin Powell issued a statement Friday March 29 claiming to have known of the attacks from the Israeli government before hand but assured that they had promised to isolate the Palestinian president only and not harm, detain, or kill him.
Powell did not condemn or criticize the Israeli attacks, but managed to describe the latest Palestinian martyr operations as “terrorism” adding that it was terrorism in its strongest possible forms.
The Guardian declared that the U.S. was no longer aiming to sustain the prospect of peace, as it had reached the point of no return. Instead, they tried to come out with a new policy to no avail and are accordingly concentrating on rebuilding their credibility in the Middle East and on a domestic level within the U.S.
The Guardian analyzed the situation by picturing the U.S. as torn between two worlds. The first being the need to appease the Arab world to assist in the U.S. in its alleged “war on terrorism” and the second being the domestic pressure from public opinion and voters, who are pushing in the opposite direction.
The Guardian suggested this would not only stand in the way of toppling the Iraqi leader Sadam Hussein, but may also abort their efforts to prevent funding for Al-Qaeda.
In other news, Ori Efnery, a prominent member in the Peace Now organization, said Ariel Sharon is leading them to a “disaster” and that they have to stop his mission and find a new government to replace his and lead them to peace.
Efnery said it was obvious Sharon is trying to destroy the base of the Palestinian society and government using Arafat as a symbol.
He said Sharon’s sudden escalation and increase in attacks was in response to Saudi prince Abdullah’s peace initiative for Arab normalization of ties with Israel in return for Israel moving out of the occupied territories since 1967 and breaking up the settlements.
Efnery said Peace Now’s role would be to gain Israeli public opinion in favor of the Saudi peace initiative, which he said would benefit both Israel and Arabs. He hopes to achieve this through the media, protests, and directly contacting those seeking peace domestically and on an international level.
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