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.
