(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - August's "Bethlehem First" understanding is now "null and void," a senior Defense Ministry official said Thursday. The Jerusalem bomber came from the Bethlehem area. Bethlehem will be treated no differently from other West Bank cities that have turned into hotbeds of terrorism and the army's efforts there will not be limited in time or scope. "Ever since we left Bethlehem, the city has turned into a refuge for terrorists," the official said. "Three days ago we stopped a suicide bomber coming from Bethlehem. Yesterday, we stopped another one; today we didn't have the same success." A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office said the current wave of terrorism is part of an attempt by Iran, Syria, and Hizballah to escalate the situation within the territories to disrupt the U.S.'s campaign against Iraq. Referring to reports that the U.S. has put together a new, tougher draft of its road map to a diplomatic solution, the official said, "This thrusts home the fact that we can't have a timetable for a Palestinian state [which the road map calls for], as long as it is a terrorist entity."
2002-11-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive