|
Israel Considers Jerusalem Security Plan VOA News 29 Jan 2002 21:53 UTC 
Israeli leaders are considering controversial plans to protect Israelis in Jerusalem from further Palestinian militant attacks.
A discussion between Israeli government officials took place Tuesday to discuss the plan.
Palestinian officials warned any physical barriers to divide Arab East Jerusalem and the Jewish western part would exacerbate tensions.
East Jerusalem was captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel has built extensively on the annexed land to cement its claim to the area, also claimed by Palestinians as their future capital.
Israeli media say the security plan for Jerusalem includes installation of sophisticated detection equipment including thermal sensors and video cameras, roadblocks, special traffic routes and hundreds more police. The plan was submitted after Sunday's bomb attack by a Palestinian woman and a shooting attack by a Palestinian man on the same Jerusalem street five days earlier.
Israel's Public Security Minister Uzi Landau denied that a wall would be built, but he did not offer specifics.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan warned the United States not to isolate the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, if it expects him to crack down on Palestinian militants. Mr. Arafat has been asked to do this while at the same time being under virtual Israeli house arrest in the West Bank town of Ramallah for failing to do enough. Mr. Annan spoke in Vienna. The U.S. government has become increasingly critical of Mr. Arafat's crackdown on terror.
On Monday, the European Union repeated its support for Mr. Arafat, saying Israel needs him as a partner for negotiations. Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher and Mr. Arafat welcomed that statement.
Meanwhile, an Arab interior ministers' meeting in Beirut Tuesday called for a clear definition of terrorism, saying there is a difference between international terrorism and the Palestinian fight against Israel.
Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef said Arabs have become accused and the victim at once.
|