Tuesday, September 23, 1997

In Washington, U.S. special envoy Ross meets with Israeli cabinet secy. Nave to prepare for mtg. btwn. Arafat adivser Abbas, Israeli FM Levy at the UN next wk. (YA 9/23 in WNC 9/24; WT 9/24)

Netanyahu says that 4 of the 5 suicide bombers fr. the 7/30, 9/4 attacks had escaped fr. PA jail in 1996; were on a list of Palestinians that Israel had pressed the PA to arrest; came fr. Assira (see 9/21). (If true, it would be the 1st time that families of Palestinian suicide bombers united in refusing to identify/to come forward to claim their relatives' remains.) Netanyahu also claims that although the men came fr. area B, where Israel has security control, they were acting on orders fr. unnamed Hamas leaders in area A, meaning the PA is ultimately responsible for the bombings. Shin Bet is angry that Netanyahu released information on an ongoing investigation. (MM 9/23; ITV 9/23, IDF Radio, MA 9/24 in WNC 9/25; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/24; YA 9/24 in WNC 9/25; PR 10/3; JP 10/4; MEI 10/10) (see 8/9)