Sunday, December 16, 2001

In a televised address, Arafat again urges Palestinians to halt attacks on Israeli targets, especially suicide bombings; vows that "any violation . . . will be seen as a trespass of our supreme national interest. . . [and] will be penalized firmly and strongly." Arafat also notes that he has already declared illegal the military wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad (see 12/2). The PA says it has shut at least 25 Hamas, Islamic Jihad offices in the past 3 days, including the groups' newspapers. The U.S. says the PA must now take "all the steps it can to bring to justice those responsible for terrorist attacks and to destroy the organizations that would launch future attacks." (HA 12/16; MENA 12/16 in WNC 12/17; AFP, AP, HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 12/17; Interfax, XIN 12/17 in WNC 12/18; MM 12/18; QA 12/18 in WNC 12/19; MA 12/18 in WNC 12/21; AP 12/19; MEI 12/21; HA 12/24)

After Arafat's speech, Palestinians fire a mortar at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. The IDF shells residential areas of Khan Yunis; occupies 3 Palestinian homes in Shaykh Ajlin, Shufa as military outposts. 1 Palestinian dies of injuries received on 12/8. The Israeli cabinet approves a request by the Agricultural Min. to issue work permits for 6,000 Palestinians to enter Israel to help with harvests. (HA 12/16; AFP, AP, HA, NYT, WP, WT 12/17; AP, LAW, PCHR 12/19; HA 12/24)