Israeli Cabinet briefed on W.Bank violence

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 9

Israeli Cabinet briefed on W.Bank violence

NZPA-Reuter Jersualem

The Israeli Cabinet is hearing a report today from the Defence Minister (Mr Ariel Sharon) on Palestinian civil unrest in the occupied territories which shows no sign of abating.

Israeli soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear-gas at the week-end to clear demonstrators in two towns on the West Bank of the Jordan River, the lastest flare-up in nine days of disturbances. Eight people have died during the protests against Israel's crackdown on locally-elected Arab municipal authorities. Israel appears determined to undermine supporters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in the occupied territories. Authorities say they want to pave the way for new municipal elections in the hope that “moderate” Arab local leaders will emerge. willing to take part in autonomous rule of the region under the Camp David

peace agreement with Egypt. “We do not delude burselves into believing that the P.L.O. can be completely eradicated,” a senior Israeli commander said, “but its influence and power can be seriously reduced. “It will take some time before the influence of the P.L.O. can be sufficiently reduced to enable us to hold new elections.”

On Saturday about 14.000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv against Government policy on the occupied West Bank. Two Arab villages there were put under curfew after violent disturbances were dispersed by security forces.

Israeli Arab mayors yesterday called for a general strike of Israeli Arabs tomorrow, the sixth anniversary of violent clashes over confiscation of Arab land. • The latest wave of violence started 10 days ago with Israel’s dismissal of the mayor of El Bireh, Ibrahim Tawil.

On Wednesday two other militant mayors, Karim Khalaf, .of Ramallah, and Bassam al-Shaka, of Nablus, charged by Israel with being supporters of the P.L.0., were also sacked and Israeli officers installed to run their towns.

Yesterday Mr Khalaf was further restrained by being confined to Jericho, 30km from Ramallah, where he has a house and a restaurant.

Arab Foreign Ministers will hold a special meeting in Tunisia next week to discuss the unrest in the Arab territories.

The special meeting was called by the P.L.O. at a’ regular Arab League council session which ended at the week-end.

The meeting would focus on “latest developments in occupied territories in. the light of the repression campaign by Zionist occupation authorities against Palestinian citizens” on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, the league said.