BizarroCub
2005-01-15, 08:37 PM
Told yah so. -Grizz
Israel breaks off contact with Abbas
Conal Urquhart in Jerusalem
Saturday January 15, 2005
The Guardian
Israel announced last night that it was suspending all contact with the new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and his government, claiming that members of the Palestinian security agencies were involved in an attack in Gaza which killed six Israelis.
Aides to Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, said relations would be suspended until Mr Abbas took action against the militant groups behind Thursday night's attack.
The assault on the busy Karni crossing point from Gaza into southern Israel was the deadliest attack since Mr Abbas was elected Yasser Arafat's successor on Sunday, and amounted to open defiance of his repeated calls for an end to four years of violence.
Three Palestinian gunmen sprayed automatic fire and grenades at the checkpoint after detonating a truckload of explosives, and were shot by security forces.
Israel refrained from military retaliation yesterday but said the suspension of all contacts was inevitable when it became obvious that "members of the Palestinian security agencies were involved in [the] attack".
"Everything is cancelled until they take steps against terror, so we can see there is not only talk but also action," said Assaf Shariv, a spokesman for Mr Sharon. "Abbas knows who carried out the attack, so he will be the one to stop them. It's very easy."
The suspension of contact is a setback to hopes that the post-Arafat era would herald a revival of the peace process.
Mr Abbas, who declared himself ready for talks soon after his election victory, had already spoken to Mr Sharon by telephone and had been expected to meet him face to face before the end of January. That now appears improbable.
But one Israeli government source insisted that Mr Sharon had not given up on Mr Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen. "What happened on Thursday night was terrible, but not unexpected," the source said. "If it had happened while Arafat was around there might have been quite a different response. We have a lot of faith in Abu Mazen and he will be judged by what happens in the weeks and months ahead."
The Palestinians regretted the Israeli move, and said the violence could only be halted by resuming peace talks.
"I told them that we reject that you hold Abu Mazen responsible, because he is not sworn in yet as president," said Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian cabinet minister.
"We call on the Israelis to resume a meaningful peace process and dialogue, because this is the only way to break the vicious cycle of violence."
Mr Abbas has said he wants to co-opt rather than confront militant groups. Earlier, Mr Abbas, who is due to be sworn in as president today, condemned the attack and said it "did not benefit the peace process".
A UN spokesman said: "The secretary-general hopes that this terrible incident will not be allowed to undermine the recent positive steps made by both parties. He also calls on the new Palestinian leadership to make all possible attempts to bring to justice the organisers and perpetrators of this attack."
Israel breaks off contact with Abbas
Conal Urquhart in Jerusalem
Saturday January 15, 2005
The Guardian
Israel announced last night that it was suspending all contact with the new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and his government, claiming that members of the Palestinian security agencies were involved in an attack in Gaza which killed six Israelis.
Aides to Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, said relations would be suspended until Mr Abbas took action against the militant groups behind Thursday night's attack.
The assault on the busy Karni crossing point from Gaza into southern Israel was the deadliest attack since Mr Abbas was elected Yasser Arafat's successor on Sunday, and amounted to open defiance of his repeated calls for an end to four years of violence.
Three Palestinian gunmen sprayed automatic fire and grenades at the checkpoint after detonating a truckload of explosives, and were shot by security forces.
Israel refrained from military retaliation yesterday but said the suspension of all contacts was inevitable when it became obvious that "members of the Palestinian security agencies were involved in [the] attack".
"Everything is cancelled until they take steps against terror, so we can see there is not only talk but also action," said Assaf Shariv, a spokesman for Mr Sharon. "Abbas knows who carried out the attack, so he will be the one to stop them. It's very easy."
The suspension of contact is a setback to hopes that the post-Arafat era would herald a revival of the peace process.
Mr Abbas, who declared himself ready for talks soon after his election victory, had already spoken to Mr Sharon by telephone and had been expected to meet him face to face before the end of January. That now appears improbable.
But one Israeli government source insisted that Mr Sharon had not given up on Mr Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen. "What happened on Thursday night was terrible, but not unexpected," the source said. "If it had happened while Arafat was around there might have been quite a different response. We have a lot of faith in Abu Mazen and he will be judged by what happens in the weeks and months ahead."
The Palestinians regretted the Israeli move, and said the violence could only be halted by resuming peace talks.
"I told them that we reject that you hold Abu Mazen responsible, because he is not sworn in yet as president," said Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian cabinet minister.
"We call on the Israelis to resume a meaningful peace process and dialogue, because this is the only way to break the vicious cycle of violence."
Mr Abbas has said he wants to co-opt rather than confront militant groups. Earlier, Mr Abbas, who is due to be sworn in as president today, condemned the attack and said it "did not benefit the peace process".
A UN spokesman said: "The secretary-general hopes that this terrible incident will not be allowed to undermine the recent positive steps made by both parties. He also calls on the new Palestinian leadership to make all possible attempts to bring to justice the organisers and perpetrators of this attack."