(Ha'aretz/Jerusalem Post/CNN) - In the wake of the latest bus bombing in Tel Aviv, the Israeli cabinet unanimously decided to reinstate a blockade of Arafat's headquarters, and demanded the immediate handing over of wanted Palestinians hiding in his Ramallah compound. Israeli tanks entered the city block-sized compound, which contains about 300 people, and IDF forces destroyed virtually all of the buildings except for Arafat's main office. Twenty Palestinians, including some wanted by Israel, surrendered to IDF troops on Friday, but another 20 wanted men are still in the compound. According to Palestinian sources, the U.S. is urging Arafat to hand-over the wanted men. The cabinet declared Arafat personally responsible for the attack, but Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon told the cabinet expelling Arafat would have harmful effects and would resuscitate him politically.
2002-09-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive