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Israel Continues Crackdowns Ahead Of Planned Investigative Commission
CAIRO (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Israel continued its crackdown on Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories as the United States said it was putting pressure on its Jewish ally to clear the way for a U.S.-led investigation into the nine weeks of violence in the region, news agencies reported.
As chief Middle East peace process mediator, U.S. President Bill Clinton discussed on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak issues concerning the fact-finding committee and the resumption of peace negotiations. Both measures were agreed upon during the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in October.
“President Clinton impressed upon the Prime Minister the need to move ahead with the fact-finding committee,” said U.S. National Security Council Spokesman P.J. Crowley. Israel has been delaying the start of the investigation committee saying the Intifada should end first.
“It’s safe to say there are questions that the commission needs to work out with both parties,” Crowley said in Washington without giving details.
U.S. officials hope the commission may ease tensions on both sides and end the violence. Israel Radio reported that the panel would visit Israel and Palestinian-ruled areas in two weeks if the Americans secure a final go-ahead from Israel.
On Saturday, Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian dead in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Fumed by Israeli brutality, the Islamic Resistance group Hamas called for “more painful blows” against the Israeli army and Jewish settlers “until the occupation is defeated.”
More than 290 Palestinians have been killed since the eruption of violence, which started after a provocative visit by hardline Likud leader Ariel Sharon to the holy site of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on September 28th.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak called for a partial peace proposal in a sudden reversal of his public policy of tough actions against the Palestinians. Observers state that Barak’s proposal is his only chance of winning upcoming Israeli elections to be held in May.
Palestinians officials have said the proposal was not sincere and that Barak aimed not at peace but at winning the elections.
“Despite the heavy human and material losses and the siege and the return to the policy of collective punishment, our Palestinian people are growing more determined to continue their steadfastness in the face of the Israeli aggression," the Palestinian cabinet said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.
The U.S., the main peace broker, said it would do everything it could to support the peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians “if that’s what they want,” in the two months remaining in Clinton’s administration.
The Palestinian authority has urged the proposed commission to start work immediately and not submit to Israeli pressure.
In New York, the United Nations General Assembly demanded self-determination for the Palestinian people and urged Israel to withdraw from occupied territories and the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 War. The assembly also denounced Israel’s use of excessive force against Palestinians.
The U.S., a traditional Israeli ally, was the only state to support the Israeli vote against the resolution demanding Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories and Golan Heights. And Barak’s signaling his desire for a partial peace deal with Palestinians was widely interpreted as a bid to boost his status in the upcoming elections where the right wing would perhaps take control.
Barak’s proposal would give Palestinians a state, join Jewish settlements to Israel and delay negotiations on Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees for up to three years.
The peace talks have been frozen since the U.S.-brokered Camp David summit collapsed in July.
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