The Knesset shelved a motion to debate whether Israel should divest itself of the administered territories, as violence in the territories continued Wednesday.
The issue in the Knesset was whether it would be feasible for Israel to rid itself of the West Bank and Gaza Strip before a political settlement is reached.
“Definitely no,” was the reply of Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
“Why not?” asked Haim Ramon, a fellow Laborite, who introduced the motion for debate.
The present situation between the Israelis and the Palestinians is intolerable and impossible to continue, argued Ramon, who comes from the dovish side of the party.
He warned that the daily presence in Israel of 120,000 Palestinian workers from the territories was disastrous for Israel’s economy, its society and its moral image.
“The distorted co-existence between Jewish employers and Palestinian employees, between those who throw out the garbage and those who live in it, fuels the flames of hatred,” Ramon said.
But Rabin insisted that Israel could not detach itself from the territories in the absence of a political solution.
He also argued that it would harm both the Israeli and Palestinian economic systems, because the construction, hotel and service industries in Israel rely on Arab workers, who in turn depend on Israel for their livelihood.
CONFLICTING REPORTS IN HEBRON
Nevertheless, security needs override even economic considerations, the defense minister said. He said the IDF reserves the right to limit work permits in Israel for Palestinians, in order to weed out those with criminal and security offense records.
Ramon’s motion was removed from the agenda.
Meanwhile, a number of security incidents were reported in the territories:
*A fracas in Hebron involving a militant Jewish settler, Arabs and Israeli soldiers, led to gunfire and an automobile accident.
*The Israel Defense Force demolished the homes of two Nablus youths alleged to have thrown gasoline bombs at Jewish vehicles.
*Four yeshiva students arrested for the fatal shooting last week of a teen-aged Palestinian girl in Kifl Harit village were freed on bail. Three others remained in custody, at least until Thursday.
Scattered violence was reported in the West Bank and most of the Gaza Strip remained under curfew.
Palestinians continued a general strike in mourning for Omar Kassem, a member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who died of cancer Sunday after spending 21 years in Israeli prisons.
Conflicting versions were given of events in Hebron.
According to the official report, Anat Cohen, a resident of the Jewish quarter who has scuffled with Arabs and with soldiers before, was engaged in fisticuffs Wednesday with three Arab women.
A soldier who tried to separate them was shoved away by Cohen. A vehicle with three Arab passengers, moving slowly, allegedly bumped the Jewish woman.
An Egged bus escorted by military jeep passed by. The officer in the jeep fired a rubber bullet at the Arabs’ car, which drove off.
Armed Jewish bus passengers then opened fire on the car with live bullets. They caused the driver to lose control. The car overturned, seriously injuring the driver.
Jewish settlers gave a different version. They denied that Cohen struck a soldier. They claimed an Arab-driven car deliberately tried to run her over. They denied the bus passengers fired weapons, claiming that the shots were fired by soldiers.
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