Violence Moves to Jerusalem; Israel Worries over Image

The Gaza Strip was relatively free of rioting Thursday, but a spate of incidents in and around Jerusalem has Israeli officials concerned that the disturbances of the past week have not ended, but only shifted locale and may reignite in the West Bank.

Arab students burned tires in East Jerusalem roads Thursday and erected roadblocks in Ramallah and El Bireh in the West Bank just north of Jerusalem, from which they hurled stones at Israeli vehicles.

Several young Arabs were arrested after police used tear gas to break up a demonstration outside the Jerusalem residence of Premier Yitzhak Shamir Wednesday night. On Thursday, dozens of Arab students stood vigil outside police headquarters in the Russian Compound, where the detainees were being held.

A curfew was re-imposed Thursday on the Balata refugee camp near Nablus. A violent demonstration erupted after a group of Israeli leftists visited the camp to place wreaths on the graves of three residents killed by the Israel Defense Force last Friday. No injuries were reported.

Compared to the violence that inflamed the Gaza Strip during the past eight days, military sources said, disturbances in the Gaza Strip were “minor and few.”

There were new demonstrations at the Jebalya refugee camp in the strip, one of the main trouble spots. In the town of Gaza, many shops remained closed. Israeli sources reported, however, that local Palestinians have resumed commuting to jobs in Israel in greater numbers.

According to senior military sources, the apparent de-escalation of violence Thursday may be only a breathing spell. But it allows time for the security forces to absorb the lessons of recent days, they said.

One lesson is the need for the IDF to improve its communications with the Arab population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in order to quickly lay to rest rumors that have provoked fear and violence.

CONCERN ABOUT EAST JERUSALEM

Furthermore, most observers acknowledge that a potentially ugly situation could develop in East Jerusalem in reaction to the move by Minister of Commerce and Industry Ariel Sharon into a flat in the Old City’s Moslem Quarter.

Many Israelis, including Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek, consider this deliberately provocative. Sharon, a Herut member, insists his move will improve security in the Old City and encourage many Jews to follow his example.

The newest controversy surrounding Israel’s most controversial minister underscores the sharp differences between left and right over how to deal with mounting Arab opposition to Israeli rule in the territories.

Appearing on television Wednesday night, Sharon said the deteriorating security situation prompted his decision to make his home in the Old City, which Israel captured in the 1967 war. He accused Israel’s leadership of indecision and called for severe measures against the political arm of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which, he contended, acts “freely” in Jerusalem.

Fellow minister and fellow former defense minister Ezer Weizman of Labor, accused Sharon of “cheap demagoguery.”

Haaretz reported Thursday that Shamir drew criticism for not visiting the West Bank or Gaza since the disturbances began. Shamir is acting defense minister in the absence of Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who has been in the United States this week.

LABOR MINISTERS ABROAD

Labor Party ministers are demanding the immediate return of Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, presently touring South America, Haaretz reported. Labor finds itself in an awkward position with its two top leaders out of the country at a time when the IDF must cope with the worst disturbances in 20 years.

Another growing source of concern is the damage to Israel’s image worldwide by the daily television and press coverage of IDF soldiers battling youthful Palestinian demonstrators in the Gaza Strip.

Yossi Beilin, political director-general of the Foreign Ministry, was quoted by Haaretz Wednesday as saying that Israel has not been under such severe international media criticism since the bombing of Beirut in 1982.

He said the Foreign Ministry has issued directives to Israeli embassies abroad to explain to their host governments that the IDF is taking every possible measure to contain the violence and prevent the loss of lives.

Beilin reported that the Foreign Ministry would set up a special “think tank” to find ways to improve Israel’s image abroad. He said that while it was hard to explain photographs of soldiers firing at Arab youths, it was possible to track down and deny false rumors that have contributed to criticism of Israel.

He charged meanwhile that the PLO has taken advantage of the disturbances and continues to incite the rioters.

What is seen abroad is also seen on Israeli television. IDF investigators said Thursday that they had traced an Israeli who was filmed Wednesday firing a submachine gun at Gaza residents, Military sources said the man, a member of the security services, was questioned about the incident.

Gen. Yitzhak Mordechai, commander of the southern region, said the man could face trial if it is found that he violated rules governing the use of firearms by the security forces.

In Egypt, the only Arab country that has a peace treaty with Israel, the Cairo press accused Israel Wednesday of “barbaric brutality, surpassing Nazi acts.”

King Hussein of Jordan and PLO deputy chief Abu-Jihad, who is presently in Jordan, sharply attacked Israel Wednesday and extolled the “popular Palestinian uprising.” Al Hamishmar reported that Hussein linked Israel and Iran as the two chief enemies of the Arab world.