VARIOUS: ISRAELI SECURITY CABINET DECIDES TO END DAYLIGHT CURFEWS IN SEVEN PALESTINIAN CITIES GRADUALLY

Record ID: 640782

  • Title: VARIOUS: ISRAELI SECURITY CABINET DECIDES TO END DAYLIGHT CURFEWS IN SEVEN PALESTINIAN CITIES GRADUALLY
  • Date: 4th July 2002
  • Summary: (W4) JERICHO, WEST BANK (JULY 3, 2002) (REUTERS) SLV O'BRIEN ADDRESSING PRESS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) O'BRIEN, SAYING "Today I delivered a very hard message that the suicide bombings must stop. I spoke yesterday to Chairman Arafat and he said that he would do all he could to end the suicide bombing because it was damaging the cause of the Palestinian people in the eyes of the world. I also said that I wanted to see a programme of reform of the Palestinian Authority implemented and that he agreed needed to be done." (W4) GAZA (JULY 3, 2002) (REUTERS) SLV LARGE PALESTINIAN FLAG HELD BY PROTESTERS; SLV PROTESTERS; SLV POSTERS OF ARAFAT HELD AMONGST CROWD (3 SHOTS) MV ARMED MEMBERS OF FATAH FACTION WALKING AMONGST CROWD HAS WOMEN HOLDING ARAFAT POSTERS DURING MARCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED PALESTINIAN MAN, SAYING "They (United States government) are selling us out again. The Palestinian Authority and Arafat are the choice of the Palestinian people, democratically, and we will not change our objectives because we have to reach our nation's goal, the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital." (U3) GAZA (JULY 3, 2002) (REUTERS) MV BANNER HELD DURING MARCH, READING: "Election results for Bush Fifty percent President Yasser Arafat eighty six percent" SLV CROWD DURING MARCH / LARGE PALESTINIAN FLAG MOVES PAST CAMERA Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETHLEHEM, RAMALLAH, JERUSALEM, JERICHO, WEST BANK / GAZA /JERUSALEM
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEE53HJHFA4ZDICNWK5W3SFD3
  • Story Text: The Israeli security cabinet has decided to end daylight curfews gradually in seven Palestinian cities reoccupied by the Israeli army. The Palestinian Authority has reacted by saying the slow release of curfews is simply a way of sustaining Israeli occupation.
    Meanwhile, A British Foreign Office minister has held talks with Arafat reaffirming London's recognition of the Palestinian president despite U.S. calls for his removal from power.
    Palestinians streamed into the streets and market place in Ramallah, West Bank, on Wednesday (July 3, 2002) after the Israeli security cabinet decided to end daylight curfews gradually in seven Palestinian cities reoccupied by the Israeli army.
    Nablus, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Jenin and Hebron were reoccupied after 31 Israelis were killed in two Palestinian suicide bombings in Jerusalem and a shooting attack in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank two weeks ago.
    Raanan Gissin, an adviser to Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, said, "We (Israeli government) will lift the curfew during the day in those cities that are still under our control so that normal life can be gradually restored".
    It would be left to Israeli commanders to determine when the security situation permitted an easing of restrictions, Gissin added.
    "We can't punish an entire people," Israel's dovish foreign minister, Shimon Peres, was quoted by a political source as telling the cabinet in making his case for an easing of restrictions.
    Israel will continue to keep 700,000 Palestinians confined to their homes at night as the army searches for militants.
    Palestinian cabinet member Saeb Erekat said Israel's move to gradually end daylight curfews was "sustaining the collective punishment against 3.3 million Palestinians".
    "It is unbelievable that in the year 2002 you have 3.3 million Palestinians confined to their homes under curfew. I don't know if in the United States or Europe they know the term curfew," added Erekat.
    Israel's round-the-clock curfews in the West Bank have been eased occasionally during the day for several hours to allow residents to stock up on food.
    One Palestinian purchasing supplies in Bethlehem said, "When they lift the curfew the only thing we can do is go shopping and buy food for the children. But when it comes to work there is none".
    Another Palestinian, a shopkeeper, also commented on the damage of Israeli imposed curfews to the Palestinian economy.
    "The situation was better (before curfews were imposed).
    We were at least able to feed our children. Now we are losing money," he said.
    In Ramallah, the Palestinian commercial capital in the West Bank, streets are deserted during the day until Israeli jeeps pull up and soldiers announce over loudspeakers that a curfew will be lifted for several hours.
    The streets quickly fill with shoppers. By the time the jeeps return to declare a resumption of the curfew, most residents have already returned home to prepare for another night of confinement.
    In Jericho, the only West Bank city not invaded in the campaign, a British Foreign Office minister held talks with Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat, a day after meeting Yasser Arafat on Tuesday (July 2) despite U.S. calls for his removal from power.
    "Today I delivered a very hard message that the suicide bombing must stop," the minister, Mike O'Brien, told reporters on Wednesday.
    "I spoke yesterday to Chairman Arafat and he said he'd do all he could to end the suicide bombing because it is damaging the cause of the Palestinian people in the eyes of the world."
    Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and the United States want an end to Palestinian attacks on Israel and an overhaul of the Palestinian Authority before peacemaking can resume.
    U.S. President George W. Bush has urged the Palestinians to replace Palestinian president Yasser Arafat, saying he and his Palestinian Authority have been tainted by terrorism.
    Arafat has scheduled elections for January against the backdrop of comments last week by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Washington will not have dealings with him now or in the future.
    Thousands rallied in support of Arafat in Gaza City on Wednesday in one of the biggest demonstrations by his Fatah movement in months.
    Dozens of armed men from his Fatah faction fired in the air as the crowd chanted, "We will sacrifice souls and blood for Arafat".
    One of the protesters denounced calls from Washington for Arafat to step down as the leader of the Palestinian Authority.
    "They (United States government) are selling us out again.
    The Palestinian Authority and Arafat are the choice of the Palestinian people, democratically, and we will not change our objectives because we have to reach our nation's goal, the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," he said, marching with the crowd through Gaza city.
    At least 1,431 Palestinians and 548 Israelis have been killed since the uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip began in September 2000 after peace talks became deadlocked.
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