Powell still plans to meet Palestinians

Reuters ^

[RCW2001]

Powell still plans to meet Palestinians

 (Adds possible Israeli-Palestinian meeting) 
    By Danielle Haas 
    JERUSALEM, Aug 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin 
Powell said on Saturday he still hoped to meet Palestinian 
leaders next week despite a deadly bomb attack on an Israeli 
university that drew swift military retaliation from Israel. 
    Powell condemned Palestinian attacks and mourned the five 
Americans and two Israelis who died in the Wednesday blast at a 
cafeteria of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but said 
efforts to end 22 months of bloodshed must continue. 
    "We can't walk away from it. We must continue to try to find 
a path forward," Powell told a news conference in Manila near 
the end of an eight-nation Asia tour. He made clear that no 
dates or participants for any peace effort had been set. 
    U.S. President George W. Bush said he was "just as angry as 
Israel" after the bombing, but peace was still possible. 
    Israeli and Palestinian officials said they might renew 
talks on reducing violence.  
    A spokesman for Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin 
Ben-Eliezer said a meeting with Palestinian Interior Minister 
Abdel Razzek al-Yahya was being considered for early next week. 
    Israel responded to the university bombing by sending troops 
and tanks into a militant stronghold in the West Bank city of 
Nablus on Friday, killing three Palestinians and seizing at 
least 30 suspects. 
    Soldiers went from house to house in the Casbah, or Old 
City, smashing holes in connecting walls to avoid exposure to 
gunmen outside, as they searched for militants.      
    DEMOLISHING HOUSES 
    The army said in a statement on Saturday it had taken in for 
questioning two Palestinians suspected of involvement in 
"terrorist activities" and that it had discovered two pipe bombs 
and pistols in a house during searches. 
    Palestinians said the army had blown up several buildings. 
    The army demolished the houses of families of militants and 
started procedures to deport some of their relatives. Bulldozers 
and army engineers razed four homes in three West Bank towns, at 
least three of which belonged to relatives of suicide attackers. 
    Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called the demolitions, 
which left dozens homeless, a crime against humanity. 
    "I am asking for quick international intervention from the 
United Nations. If they are not able to send forces, they should 
send observers," he said in the West Bank city of Ramallah. 
    Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said last week he 
expected to visit Washington with Yahya and Trade Minister Maher 
al-Masri for talks on August 5 and 6. 
    The meeting would be the most senior contact between the 
U.S. administration and the Palestinian Authority since Bush 
called in June for Arafat to be sidelined as Palestinian leader. 
    The United States has said Arafat can empower his officials 
to speak on his behalf at talks to push forward reforms that 
Bush said must come before Washington supports a Palestinian 
state. 
    In an effort to stop further attackers, an Israeli general 
signed orders on Thursday for the deportation from the West Bank 
to the fenced-in Gaza Strip of the brothers of two militants. 
    Israeli officials facing international criticism for the 
decision said they would deport only family members who were 
accomplices to attacks. 
    A committee considering whether to approve deportation 
orders would resume its deliberations on Sunday, Army radio 
said. Lawyers for the two men said they would appeal to the 
Supreme Court if the decree was not revoked. 
    At least 1,477 Palestinians and 574 Israelis have been 
killed since a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation 
began in September 2000 after peace talks froze. 
 ((Jerusalem newsroom, 972-2-537-0502, 
jerusalem.newsroom@reuters.com)) 

03 AUG 2002 15:40:18 WRAPUP 4-Powell still plans to meet Palestinians

[Free the USA]

Index Bump