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12 Tishrei 5761 - October 11, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Home and Family
Worst civil disturbances in Israel since 1948
by Yated Ne'eman Staff and M. Plaut

In the worst civil unrest within the Green Line since 1948, there were clashes all over the country including Israeli Arabs and residents of the occupied territories beginning just before Rosh Hashana. There were various reports of cease fires, but so far none has held. The violence may be over later rather than sooner.

Nonetheless, for most Israeli residents, life continues as usual. Though a cloud of worry hangs over the yom tov preparations, the routine is not interrupted. In the major chareidi concentrations in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, there is no immediate evidence of the rioting, though almost everyone knows someone who lives in a dangerous area. The supply of shemitta produce from non-Jewish fields has not begun because of the difficulty of supervising the harvest, but that is considered a minor annoyance. Some foreign seminary and yeshiva students are making unplanned visits back home because of the disturbances, but most are staying and few of the young families have left.

Many Israeli Arabs also died of wounds sustained in clashes with police. The army maintains a strong presence in Israeli Arab communities. As of Wednesday 12 Tishrei, the death toll is approaching 90.

On motzei Shabbos Shuva, Prime Minister Barak declared an ultimatum saying the Arafat had 48 hours -- to the end of Yom Kippur -- to show himself a partner for peace and restrain the violence. However, when the violence did not stop, Barak agreed to extend his "deadline" even though there was no response at all from Arafat.

The Israeli army pulled out of what was agreed to be an undefendable position in Joseph's Tomb near Shechem. Although Arafat very publicly agreed to protect the site from harm, it was almost immediately attacked and completely razed.

After Yom Kippur there was significant counter-rioting in Jewish areas near Arab concentrations. A particularly large confrontation was in Nazareth were thousands were involved on both sides.

Many world leaders are trying to end the violence. UN Secretary General Kofi Anan came to the Middle East. U.S. President Clinton has spent extensive time on the phone, and has talked about coming. As of Wednesday before Succos, there are no serious prospects.

The fact that Israeli Arabs rioted on a large scale, and apparently coordinated with the rioters in the Palestinian Authority, is the new and somewhat shocking aspect of the current riots. When the PA Arabs riot, the fighting takes place in isolation from Jewish Israel. When the Israeli Arabs riot, the fighting takes place in and around major Jewish communities.

Streets in Haifa, Jaffa and Acre, cities with mixed populations, were closed. Jewish communities across the north were isolated, as the roads leading to them were closed as unsafe. Arrangements are not in place for travel under threats, because there had never been any. Israeli Arabs were not looked upon as a threat, and in many cases there is a long tradition of cooperation. Now, major arteries such as the Wadi Ara road that leads from the coast to Afula had to be closed because of the violence.

In the territories in the initial fighting, an Israeli civilian, an IDF soldier, and six Palestinians were killed, and 14 soldiers and border policeman and over 300 Palestinians were wounded in violent confrontations and heavy exchanges of live fire in the first days. The death toll has since risen considerably and now stands at several dozen. There are well over a thousand wounded. On the ground, army officers say that it looks just like a war.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak blamed the Palestinian leadership for the violence. "The Palestinian Authority is basically responsible for orchestrating the incidents and launching its public with armed Palestinian policemen and Tanzin shooting at our soldiers. This is unacceptable," he said. "I call on the PA to show responsibility and find ways to immediately halt the events occurring nearby [the Ayosh junction], at kever Yosef [in Nablus], and the Netzarim junction [in the Gaza Strip] and restrain the Tanzin and Palestinian Police and distance rioters from IDF positions and assist in restoring stability to the region."

Placing the blame for the continued unrest, Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon insisted it is up to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, who has the power, to put an end to violence.

The Israeli Army and police have shown considerable restraint. They have throughout refrained from taking any initiative and fire only when fired upon. There is no doubt that the death toll would be much higher if they were taking an aggressive approach.

The Palestinians attack Israeli soldiers and civilians in mobs. Often women and children lead, with gunmen with automatic weapons interspersed. The Israeli forces react with tear gas and rubber coated bullets, and use life fire only as a last restort. Nonetheless, on the world press the Arabs repeat constantly that Israel is to blame, and the press reports their claim without comment.

On Monday night Egged stopped operating buses throughout Judea and Samaria, and during the day settlers were restricted in their movements. In many areas, roads were closed to Israeli motorists.

Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Ya'alon said that IDF troops only opened fire after Palestinians fired at them and endangered their lives. But he also said that the IAF helicopters in Netzarim, for the first time, fired rockets at an apartment building where Palestinian police were firing down on the IDF outpost and at a vehicle used as barricade by attackers shooting at troops. Later the army razed that building and others that were serving the rioters, as well as an orchard.

Bullets struck walls and shattered windows and fortified positions in Shave Shomron, Etz Ephraim, Psagot, Hebron, and other settlements.

Kever Rochel, near Bethlehem, was closed to worshipers and became the scene of heavy clashes. At nearby Beit Sahur, one IDF soldier was critically wounded and later died, and another suffered light wounds during heavy exchanges of fire.

Settlers in Psagot were forced into shelters for several hours after bullets hit several homes.

Near Neveh Dekalim hundreds of Palestinians threw fire bombs and stones at IDF patrols between Khan Yunis and Gush Katif. Palestinians also attempted to enter the industrial zone.

At a cabinet meeting that dealt extensively with the rioting, Barak listed the chronology of events leading up to the current situation, and said the incidents started with a roadside bomb that mortally wounded Sgt. David Biri near Netzarim the Wednesday before Rosh Hashana, followed by the killing of Border Police Supt. Yossi Tabaja on Friday, who was killed by his Palestinian counterpart on a joint patrol. Tabaja was shot at pointblank range by Palestinian policeman Nail Suliman as he rested in his jeep before they were to continue the patrol. Another border policeman sitting next to Tabaja suffered light wounds.

Barak mentioned Likud leader Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount as the third factor, but said that everything that transpired over the last four days did not happen because of that visit.

Among the conclusions drawn were that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has not worked actively to calm the situation, even though he spoke with Barak on three different occasions.

Ya'alon spoke about the 12 year old boy who was killed in the crossfire near Netzarim. "There has been a cynical use of children," Barak said. "To our understanding, the boy came to the area to throw stones. His father came to take him home . . . the rest you can see in the heart wrenching photos."

Later on his mother admitted freely that her son had gone to fight the Jews, and had done so on several occasions previously. Father and son were trying to take cover at the time the boy was hit, but they were completely surrounded by Palestinian gunmen who were shooting at Israeli soldiers.

Ya'alon said the IDF had concrete evidence that the boy had been participating in stone-throwing. He declined to elaborate.

The violence that has swept Arab community, including the mixed cities of Acre, Jaffa, and Haifa, has been the worst since the establishment of the state. In Acre and Nazareth there were reports of live rounds being fired at police. Fire bombs were hurled at police in several places, as were stones, empty bottles, and other objects.

Cars travelling along the Wadi Ara road, a major artery between the coast and the Galil, were hit by stones and a youngster was hurt. A bus driver was pulled from his vehicle and the bus set alight.

A similar incident occurred near the entrance to the Rosh Ha'ayin industrial zone; the stone throwers came from Kafr Kassem in the Triangle.

Police sources criticized some Arab leaders for inciting violence and others for not having the power to restore calm.

In Acre, a mixed Jewish and Arab town, masked youths fought running battles with police. In Haifa and Jaffa, youths hurled rocks at police.

Scores of policemen have been injured, primarily in efforts to keep open main roads.

Stone throwing was also reported near Fureidis and in the Har Yona region near Upper Nazareth.

In Nazareth, Baka al-Gharbiya, and other towns and villages in the Galilee and the Triangle, banks and shops were vandalized and set on fire.

Settlers throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza must coordinate with the security heads of their communities when they want to leave their settlements.

Shas Chair Eli Yishai announced that his party would be a "safety net" during the current crisis. "We will support Barak from the outside and give him all the help he needs," Yishai said, adding, however, that it was too soon to speak about the establishment of a unity government.

Likud leader Ariel Sharon has announced that there seems no basis for forming a government with Barak, as long as he insists on continuing negotiations. He did say that Likud would support the government from the outside as long as they are taking a reasonable approach.

 

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