Palestinian Council convenes amid crackdown
March 7, 1996
Web posted at: 11:45 a.m. EST (1645 GMT)GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (CNN) -- The Palestinian new legislative body met for the first time Thursday while on the other side of town Palestinian police swept through Gaza City neighborhoods looking for terrorist activities.
All branches of the police stormed schools, clinics, offices and homes seizing computer discs, leaflets, fake passports and anti-Israel documents. (528K QuickTime movie)
Police found Israeli army uniforms hidden in one Hamas-run kindergarten classroom.
The crackdown overshadowed the inauguration of the Palestinian Council by President Yasser Arafat. The council and Arafat were elected on January 20 in landmark democratic elections that let Palestinians vote for the first time.
"The bombings only reflect a small minority, and the majority of, Palestinian people condemn it and reject it."
-- Marwan Barghouti, Council member
Since the elections, the Middle East peace process has been derailed by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which opposes Arafat's dealings with Israel. Hamas has claimed responsibility for four suicide bombings in the last two weeks, killing at least 61 people.
"We insist on showing the other face of Palestinians -- the democratic face," said council member Marwan Barghouti. "The bombings only reflect a small minority, and the majority of Palestinian people condemn it and reject it."
Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres on Wednesday said the peace process is effectively on hold until the Palestinian Authority revokes clauses in the Palestine Liberation Organization charter that call for the destruction of Israel.
If the charter is not amended by May 7, "that means they are not honoring the agreement ... The train will stop," Peres said.
Arafat is under extreme pressure by Peres and the United States to destroy Hamas' civilian network and arrest the leaders of its military wing. Wednesday's raids on mosques and Islamic institutions in Gaza, ordered by Arafat, seemed to be his answer to those demands.
But still, Peres was not fully pleased
"Until he brings in the commanders of Hamas' military wing, I will not be satisfied," Peres said.
A Palestinian official said police had detained four of 13 suspected Hamas leaders on an Israeli most-wanted list given to Arafat. However, Peres said the detainees were not the top commanders on the list.
In other news:
- A ban restricting movement in the West Bank was lifted for 12 hours Thursday to allow people to buy goods, an Israeli army spokesman said.
- Israel has placed tanks along its West Bank borders for the first time since the Middle East war in 1967.
- Israel closed Hamas offices and colleges in the West Bank areas the group occupies, including Arab East Jerusalem. Israel has blockaded 465 West Bank towns.
- Indications of a split in Hamas exist. One faction of the activist group described the suicide bombings as heroic; another faction pledged to stop the militant aggression.
- Israel opposition party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his followers stepped up its campaign Thursday to have the PLO headquarters in Jerusalem permanently shut down.
- Peres said Israeli troops will not pull out of Hebron, the last West Bank town under its control. Israel was to withdraw from Hebron in late March.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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