"Ze'evi's Killers Won't Be Freed" [While Released Terrorist Caught With Ammunition]

2005-03-15

Margot Dudkevitch and Jpost Staff

The Jerusalem Post

Mar. 14, 2005

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In a statement to Reuters Tuesday morning, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas pertained that once the Palestinians receive security control of Jericho, Ahmed Saadat, a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, would be freed.

Saadat was involved in the murder of the late minister Rechavam Ze'evi in 2001. Israeli security officials, however, said they believed there was no cause for concern over Abbas's statements.

A security official said that in talks between Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and PA Minister of Interior Nasser Youssef on Monday night, Mofaz had stressed that under no circumstances would Israel agree to the release of Saadat or Fuad Shubaki, who was involved in the Karine A weapons smuggling ship.

"The two are incarcerated in Jericho, where they are monitored by US and British officials. Abu Mazen [Abbas] would be violating every agreement if he decides to free the two," an official told The Jerusalem Post.

A statement released by the defense minister's office declared that in every meeting between Israeli and PA officials, Israel stressed that under no circumstances would Israel agree to release Rechavam Ze'evi's murderers.

"If the Palestinians dare to release them, Israel will put their hands on them quicker than they realize," Mofaz said. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said that Israel would hunt down the two if they were to be released.

If the PA insists on freeing Saadat and Shubaki, it could derail the process of transferring control over Palestinian cities. "If Abu Mazen fails to retract his statements, then Israel should delay handing over Jericho to Palestinian security control," Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim told The Jerusalem Post.

"Not only do Abbas's statements violate agreements reached with Israel, but they also violate agreements made by the late Yasser Arafat, who guaranteed, not only to Israel, but also to the United States and Britain, that Rechavam Ze'evi's murderers would remain behind bars," said Boim.

Boim added that in the event that Mahmoud Abbas decides to release Saadat and Shubaki, such steps will not only undermine negotiations between Israel and the PA, but could also torpedo efforts to reach peace.

The Palestinian Authority is expected to receive security control of Jericho as early as Wednesday, with Tulkarm due to be handed over early next week, security officials told The Jerusalem Post at a meeting between Mofaz and the PA interior minister on Monday night.

According to officials, Mofaz and Youssef are also discussing the transfer of Kalkilya, making it the third city on the list to be handed over.

The meeting in Herzliya was scheduled to iron out the differences that arose in meetings last week between Israeli and Palestinian security officials, which led to a breakdown in talks and prevented the handover from being implemented. It was decided at the meeting that Israel will retain control of highway 90 and the District Coordinating Office checkpoint outside Jericho will remain. Palestinians will be allowed to train policemen in Jericho.

The transfer of cities to Palestinian security control has been on the agenda ever since the first meeting between Mofaz and Palestinian security chief Muhammad Dahlan on January 29.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian resident of Kalkilya, Naim Hable, who was freed in the release of 500 Palestinian security prisoners on February 21, was caught along with two others with 102 M-16 assault rifle bullets, a knife and stolen property at a checkpoint outside Kalkilya on Monday.

Judea and Samaria police, conducting routine operations, flagged down a car for inspection and discovered the bullets and other items. The three occupants of the car were arrested.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis