JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (JTA) — Adopting the language of the Arab League, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is accusing Israel of waging war on his self-rule government. “Netanyahu has declared war on us, and we have to prepare for what will come. The situation is serious,” Arafat was quoted as saying in reference to the measures adopted by Israel in the wake of last week’s suicide bombing. His comments, published Thursday in an interview with the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot, prompted sharp reactions from Israeli officials. David Bar-Illan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman, said Israel is hearing “statements from Arafat about a new fight against Israel, which is what we said precisely is one of the components of his sponsorship of terrorism.” “A call for an armed struggle by another name during a peace process is unacceptable,” Bar-Illan said. In Washington, the U.S. State Department criticized the heated rhetoric emanating from Israeli and Palestinian officials, saying it was counterproductive to peace efforts. U.S. Special Middle East Coordinator Dennis Ross was due in the region over the weekend as part of the latest American bid to get Israeli-Palestinian negotiations back on track. After two suicide bombers killed 13 people in a Jerusalem marketplace last week, Israel stepped up its demand that the Palestinian Authority crack down on Islamic militants and their infrastructure in the autonomous areas. The Israeli government adopted sanctions, including a closure of the self-rule areas and the withholding of tax and customs revenues, in an effort to put pressure on the Palestinians. Jordan’s Crown Prince Hassan failed in talks Wednesday in Jerusalem to persuade the Israeli premier to ease the restrictions. At a joint news conference following the talks with Hassan, Netanyahu said Israel did not intend to impose collective punishment on the Palestinians, but only to protect Israeli citizens. Netanyahu repeated his demand that the Palestinian Authority take decisive action against the terrorists. “We have called for such action for many months, and regrettably it was not forthcoming. We are engaged in an effort to protect our people,” the premier said. Netanyahu said Israel was willing to make some humanitarian gestures, such as allowing food and essential medical supplies into the autonomous areas. But he stressed that the sanctions would be lifted only when the Palestinian Authority shows it has cracked down on terrorist groups. Israeli media reports said that Jordan’s King Hussein had decided not to visit Jerusalem, and had sent his brother instead, after concluding that he would not come away with any concrete commitments or concessions from Israel.
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