Military authorities believe continuing attacks on Israel can be expected from groups linked to Yasir Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization, including its mainstream fighting force Al Fatah.
This is expected despite Arafat’s ostensible renunciation of terrorism, according to Ha’aretz military correspondent Dan Sagir.
“The vague definitions of terrorism, guerrilla, national struggle and popular struggle (intifada) which the PLO makes provides Fatah and other organizations tied to Arafat’s initiative . . . with a broad umbrella to carry out attacks against Israel,” Sagir wrote.
“The timing, nature and frequency of the actions will be dictated by many factors, primarily Washington’s position on the question of whether these are violations of Arafat’s commitments,” he said.
The United States opened a dialogue with the PLO last December and so far has rejected Israel’s urging that it be abandoned.
Sagir said the Israel Defense Force has made these conclusions regarding terrorists attacks based on the organization and composition of an infiltration squad that was intercepted in the southern Lebanon security zone a week ago.
The squad was found to belong to the PLO.
PLO spokesmen acknowledged this, and made clear such actions would continue, Sagir noted.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
