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Israeli Military Measures Intensify as EU Seeks Solution
TULKAREM, Nov. 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Israeli forces intensified Sunday their military occupation activities in the Palestinian-ruled cities, despite the European Union's diplomatic efforts to promote a state of calm in the region.
Israeli troops invaded the Tulkarem suburb of Shweke Saturday night and arrested four Palestinian citizens, the Palestinian News Agency WAFA reported.
According to Palestinian citizens, the Israeli forces prepared Saturday for this operation by intensifying the roadblocks and increasing the number of troops backed by tanks, before the invasion took place.
WAFA said the Israeli heavy tanks opened fire with artillery and machineguns on the suburb, terrorizing the people - especially the children.
The Israeli authorities have also tightened since Saturday the blockade around the Palestinian-ruled cities of Ramallah and Al Birah, adding more barriers and roadblocks.
According to WAFA, the Israeli soldiers have tortured detained Palestinians by keeping them out in the open under the rain and the cold weather or on muddy spots where they held many in custody for hours.
Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli forces have intensified their roadblocks to the north of occupied Jerusalem, where they prevented Palestinians from entering the Holy City for the prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met Sunday with senior European officials in Ramallah.
The E.U. delegation was headed by Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, whose country holds the E.U.'s rotating presidency.
The delegation also included E.U. Commission head Romano Prodi and E.U. head for security and external affairs Javier Solana. Others in the group included Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel, and the European envoy to the Middle East Miguel Muratinos.
During the meeting, Arafat reiterated the Palestinian National Authority's commitment to the peace process. He vowed to undertake all efforts to sustain and maintain the cease-fire in the area.
"I repeat again our commitment to the peace process as a strategic choice of the Palestinian people and I believe this is also the choice of the Israeli people and it was expressed by Mr. Peres at the U.N," Arafat said. His statement was delivered in a joint press conference with the delegation at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah Saturday.
Arafat appealed for E.U. help to lift the Israeli occupation restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and to stop repeated armed incursions into Palestinian areas, assassinations and the expansion of Jewish settlements.
For his part, the Belgian Prime Minister told Arafat that there is international support for the creation of a "viable Palestinian state."
"The Europeans want to underline that after the 12 days of relative quiet recently there is a need to re -launch the peace process,'' Verhofstadt said.
Verhofstadt added that the E.U. and the U.S. are working together to reach a conclusion to the Middle East conflict that would see the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The E.U. delegation had come from Egypt where they held discussions with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier Saturday.
Verhofstadt said in Cairo that Egypt and the E.U. saw a "need to pressure both parties to sit around the same table" and begin "in the very near future'' to put into motion proposals by a panel led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell.
The envoys will meet Israeli leaders Sunday - a day before U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to outline a new plan for the Middle East.
Israel said it does not expect major developments from the European visit, Agence France-Presse (AFP) said.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians hope Powell's speech Monday will outline a mechanism for the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands, as well as an approximate deadline for a comprehensive peace agreement.
"If it lacks these two elements I think we will just be running in circles," Erekat told the Associated Press Saturday.
Following the troops' Tulkarem withdrawal, the only Palestinian town that remains under Israeli control is Jenin, also in the West Bank.
Israel seized sections of Bethelehem, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Jenin, following the October 17 assassination of Israeli ultra-nationalist tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP claimed the murder was in retaliation for the August assassination of its leader, Abu Ali Mustapha.
The military killed more than 70 Palestinians and captured scores more in the operation that it has described as "rooting out Ze'evi's killers and others plotting lethal attacks on Israel".
Despite the official renewed declaration of a ceasefire on September 18, 2001 by the Palestinian side and the full commitment to the implementation of it - and despite Israeli declarations - the military siege imposed on the Palestinian territories has continued.
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