WEST BANK/GAZA: PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB EREKAT SAYS ISRAELI VIOLENCE AND THEIR OCCUPATION HAS TO BE STOPPED/ ISLAMIC JIHAD RADICALS PROTEST AGAINST ISRAEL AT GAZA UNIVERSITY

Record ID: 400554

  • Title: WEST BANK/GAZA: PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB EREKAT SAYS ISRAELI VIOLENCE AND THEIR OCCUPATION HAS TO BE STOPPED/ ISLAMIC JIHAD RADICALS PROTEST AGAINST ISRAEL AT GAZA UNIVERSITY
  • Date: 28th May 2001
  • Summary: (U6) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (MAY 28, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV: U.S ENVOY WILLIAM BURNS AND SENIOR PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB EREKAT COMING OUT OF THE MEETING IN PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT'S OFFICE 0.08 2. SV: PALESTINIAN POLICMEN OUTSIDE ARAFAT'S OFFICE 0.12 3. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) SENIOR PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB ER
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK / GAZA
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVA6RQWBKCKL2JKY0I1JYLT8A5K6
  • Story Text: Coming out of the meeting between Palestinian
    President Yasser Arafat and the new U.S. envoy to the Middle
    East, William Burns, senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat
    has told reporters that Israeli violence and the Israeli
    occupation has to be stopped.

    Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad radicals protested against Israel
    at a demonstration at Gaza University in the Gaza Strip.



    A new U.S. Middle East envoy held talks on Monday (May
    28) with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in a second round
    of shuttle diplomacy meant to end eight months of
    Israeli-Palestinian bloodletting.

    William Burns, assistant secretary of state for Near
    Eastern affairs, met Arafat at his West Bank headquarters and
    was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon later on
    Monday as part of the Bush administration's new stepped-up
    peacemaking role.

    Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Arafat and
    Burns discussed the recommendations of a U.S.-led inquiry into
    the violence and an Egyptian-Jordanian plan to end the
    fighting and renew peace talks.

    He told reporters that Arafat gave Burns a map of 18 new
    West Bank and Gaza Strip Jewish settlements, which are built
    on land Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East war and are
    illegal under international law.

    Erekat said that it was agreed that the discussions with
    the American representative would be continued with the
    Palestinian delegation to deal with the issues. He did not
    elaborate on when further talks would be held.

    "We view the Israeli violence, the Israeli closure and the
    siege and the continuation of settlement activity as the
    highest form of violence," Erekat said.

    He was referring to a blockade on Palestinian areas which
    Israel said it imposed for security reasons at the start of
    the uprising in September. Palestinians say the closure is
    collective punishment.

    Meanwhile, at Gaza University in the Gaza Strip, gunmen
    wearing masks held up their AK-47 weapons and rocket propelled
    grenade launchers as Islamic Jihad leader Abdullah Shami
    delivered a speech vowing the 'struggle will continue against
    Israeli aggression'.

    'Martyrs' with automatic weapons slung over their
    shoulders kissed the Koran as the final step in preparation
    for martyrdom.

    Radicals showed off their belts of explosives and wiring
    as they stood to attention with university students looking
    on.

    Israeli officials told Burns their limited unilateral
    ceasefire announced on May 22 would remain intact for the time
    being.
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