Israel took tough measures Wednesday to maintain order and security in the administered territories and made clear it would not be deterred by criticism from abroad or concerns about its world image.
The Israel Defense Force and border police were engaged in a massive dragnet aimed at arresting activists and their ringleaders, held responsible for the worst wave of violence to sweep the territories in 20 years. Scores of alleged troublemakers have already been taken into custody.
Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin vowed Wednesday that Israel would “fight united with all our strength against any group seeking to undermine our full control over Judaea, Samaria and Gaza.”
His warning that authorities would resort to administrative arrests and expulsions from the territories, if necessary, to restore order apparently had the intended impact on the Palestinian population.
For the first time in more than two weeks, shops were opened in the Gaza Strip, all roads were clear to traffic and some 30,000 Arab workers employed in Israel showed up for their jobs.
The only trouble spot was the Jabalya refugee camp, where a curfew was imposed Wednesday morning and residents were barred from leaving.
The measures came in response to an outburst of violence Tuesday following rumors that a young Palestinian from the camp had died at Beersheba hospital from wounds he received in an earlier clash with Israeli troops.
The rumors were false. Hospital officials reported that the youth’s condition was improved.
RABIN MEANS BUSINESS
The new calm in the territories was attributed in part to winter storms that have raked the area for the past few days. But mainly the residents appeared to understand that Defense Minister Rabin “meant business” when he told the Knesset Wednesday that the IDF and border police are permitted to use live ammunition in self-defense, when other methods of riot control have failed.
The IDF has been, in fact, under strict orders to exercise maximum restraint with respect to the use of lethal weapons. Nevertheless, Rabin stressed that Israel would demonstrate “by word and by deed,” to the population of the areas, to the Arab states and to the international community that neither war, the threat of war, nor violence will achieve anything.
“On the contrary,” he said, “the continuation of this violence will bring only more grief and pain to the instigators and participants. Gaza and Hebron, Ramallah and Nablus — they will not become Beirut or Sidon or Tyre,” Rabin said, referring to the Lebanese cities where near-chaos has reigned for years.
Rabin promised that Israel would do its utmost to put an end to the disturbances, despite negative reaction in the world. He acknowledged that media coverage of the unrest has done no good to Israel’s image abroad. But he hoped that would be “transient” and stressed that most nations understood Israel’s primary duty was to restore law and order.
CASUALTY FIGURES REPORTED
Rabin also reported casualty figures to date. He said 21 Palestinians had been killed and 158 wounded since the disturbances began on Dec. 9. On the Israeli side, 31 IDF soldiers and border police and 19 civilians have been injured.
Rabin appears to have the full support of the government. The Inner Cabinet, the government’s top policy-making body, reviewed the situation Wednesday and emerged unanimous in support of the IDF’s efforts to restore order. The 10 ministers, split evenly between Likud and Labor, were briefed by Gen. Dan Shomron, the IDF chief of staff, and other senior officers.
Premier Yitzhak Shamir praised the security forces for their handling of the situation so far and said they should continue to act in a “similar way.”
U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, mean-while, said Wednesday that the present situation should bring renewed efforts to advance the peace process. Speaking at a conference on economic ties between the United States and Israel, he observed that Israel is well aware how the United States believes the current situation should be handled.
“There is no status quo solution to the Mideast. An effective and ongoing peace process is essential,” Pickering said. He also expressed concern over Egypt’s strong condemnation of Israel, both in Cairo and at the United Nations.
“We have been in close touch with the governments involved about our serious concern about what’s happening, and we will continue to stay in touch,” he said.
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