Fresh Israeli blitz against Palestinian security targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip yesterday killed nine Palestinians. The surge in violence has left international peace efforts in tatters and prompted talk of all-out war. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, whose country holds the European Unionâs rotating presidency, called the situation âpractically (one) of warâ and said it would be hard for the EU to put forward any peace initiative in the current climate.
A missile narrowly missed President Yasser Arafatâs office in the West Bank for the second successive night and, in a symbolic blow, the army destroyed the Voice of Palestinian radio-television headquarters in the Gaza Strip. Ground troops entered Gaza City for the first time in 17 months of ongoing violence. Palestinian doctors in Gaza said six people were killed and about 40 others were wounded in the Israeli raids which began shortly after midnight. In a second wave, helicopters fired missiles at buildings used by military intelligence and the elite Force-17 guard in Rafah in southern Gaza, and struck a Force-17 heaquarters in Ramallah and police offices in Nablus in the West Bank.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/22/2002 8:14:34 PM ||
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The Kingdom has stepped up a diplomatic drive to get Israel to lift a siege on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Middle East peace talks to resume, a newspaper reported yesterday. Prince Bandar ibn Sultan, is spearheading contacts with US officials under close supervision from Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, Al-Watan daily quoted unnamed sources as saying. "The aim is to lift the siege on the Palestinian leadership and to urge the parties to implement the recommendations of the Mitchell commission and the Tenet understandings and to resume negotiations," Al-Watan said, without giving details.
It was referring to separate proposals made last year by a panel led by former US Sen. George Mitchell and by CIA Director George Tenet to end a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence that began in 2000, and revive peace talks. Israeli tanks surround Arafat's office in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where he has been confined by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon since December. Al-Watan said Saudi Arabia's drive followed extensive contacts between Prince Abdullah and Arab leaders. Crown Prince Abdullah was quoted by The New York Times on Sunday as saying he had been ready to push for normalizing Arab ties with Israel in return for the Jewish state's withdrawal from all the Palestinian lands it occupied in a 1967 Middle East War. He said he had changed his mind due to Sharon's oppressive measures to quell the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/22/2002 8:29:24 PM ||
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The recent arrest of Pentagon gang leader Faisal Marohombsar was a âmoro-moroâ (staged play) aimed at covering up the involvement of police (in kidnapping activities), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front said yesterday. âIt was another form of deception staged by the police to protect their image,â said Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesman.
Kabalu said Marohombsar was actually in possession of a safe conduct pass issued by no less than Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza when he was arrested by Manila policemen last week in a Quiapo hotel. On Wednesday, Marohombsar had claimed he was actually an âaction agentâ assigned by the government to infiltrate the Pentagon gang that was led by Tahir Alonto. This was denied by Chief Supt. Eduardo Matillano, PNP Region XI director, who doubted in a report to Camp Crame that Marohombsar was really a government agent.
Yesterday, Marohombsar attempted to link Interior Secretary Joey Lina and General Mendoza to the activities of the Pentagon gang. During interrogation, Marohombsar reportedly claimed Lina and Mendoza knew about his activities. âThis is ridiculous, (but) at the same time, this is a serious matter that must be investigated thoroughly,â said North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/22/2002 8:27:07 PM ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
