Army may need to keep peace for Palestinians after Arafat dies
THE JERUSALEM POST
The army may be forced to intervene in the Palestinian-controlled areas after the demise of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to prevent innocent Palestinians from being harmed in the ensuing chaos, Central Command battalion commander Lt.-Col. Y. told The Jerusalem Post in a briefing Wednesday.
With the recent speculations regarding the Palestinian leader's failing health, the army has to be prepared for all situations, he said. "Arafat is still respected because of his past – he is a symbolic figure – but today he has no control over the area," he said. "When he is gone, I believe we will witness a settling of accounts and the army will be forced to become involved in order to protect the civilian population."
Armed thugs rule the street and are involved in extortion, robbery, rape, and weapon trading in addition to terrorism, he said. "Many of the PA officials fear for their safety and are constantly accompanied by armed guards," he said.
At the same time fugitives remain holed up in Arafat's Mukata compound in Ramallah, where they continue to plan terror attacks. "We are talking about fugitives with blood on their hands who are responsible for the murders of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Recognizing... that we will not enter the compound, the fugitives take advantage of the sensitive situation and the Mukata has become a hothouse," he said.
While the Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Ramallah has suffered a heavy blow, there are constant attempts to launch attacks against Israelis, the commander said. He would not rule out the possibility that terror groups in the West Bank will manufacture Kassam rockets as well as mortars. "Today the knowledge is out there on the Internet, all you need to do is download the details. The ingredients are easy to obtain: simple substances – fertilizer and agricultural products – you cook them at home, dip cloths into them, dry them and scrape off the residue." The government's planned disengagement from the Gaza Strip and communities in Samaria is viewed by the Palestinians as a fait accompli, he continued.
"They have reached the point of acceptance," he said. "You can see it in the sharp decrease in demonstrations in the area. The Palestinian public realize it's not worth fighting against. They are tired. Those not involved in terror have suffered economically and socially in the past four years." He has had no direct contact with his Palestinian counterparts despite efforts to meet them, he said.
The commander's goal is to allow Jews and Palestinians the chance to live side by side in peace and security.
The Kalandiya crossing north of Jerusalem is one of the largest West Bank checkpoints in the area, with thousands of Palestinians passing through it daily. "While we are aware that a small percentage of the Palestinian population is involved in terror, I don't see why the majority should have to suffer because of the activities of a few," he said.
The concrete security fence has almost reached the checkpoint, he said. Palestinians seeking to travel to A-Ram, Jerusalem or elsewhere must pass through a metal detector and have their packages examined, then go through turnstiles to positions where their permits and identity cards are checked by waiting soldiers.
"From the minute the Palestinians reach the checkpoint, inspections per person take two to three minutes," the commander said. In addition, a special humanitarian assistance lane allows the elderly, women, and children requiring medical attention to pass through quickly.
"It is of utmost importance that the Palestinians maintain their daily routine as much as possible," he said.
He noted that it is still not clear when the checkpoint's new terminal building will be constructed.
At the checkpoint, volunteer reservists aged 50 and over, who are less emotional than the 18-year-old soldiers and able to assess the situation more maturely, work alongside them. In addition, a Civil Administration official is always on hand to deal with problems that arise. "The commanding officer's role in such places is critical. They decide who can pass and who can't. There are dilemmas," he said.
In order to avoid confrontations, troops do not go out to patrol near schools when pupils are leaving for home or near mosques when worshipers are leaving, he said. "If there is no need we avoid doing so, as it only leads to clashes."
He praised members of Machsom Watch who are frequently at the checkpoint, but noted that Palestinians sometimes take advantage of the group. "This morning I received a report from them after Palestinians claimed that soldiers at the checkpoint had set fire to Palestinian property. I was there the entire morning and know that they claims were false. Not all the stories they tell Machsom Watch members are true, but they use it as another tool to generate media pressure on the army," he said.
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