Rafah crossing was closed, detention in the West Bank; Sharon escalates criticism against Qurei' government
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/25/2004

The Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon accused his Palestinian counterpart Ahmad Qurei' that he runs a government of "criminals and liars, adding that this makes him unqualified to negotiate in order to reach a peace agreement."

Sharon statements which was published in the Israeli Hebrew language daily Yediot Ahronot said yesterday, in reply to comments made by Ahmad Qurei' in his criticism of the Palestinian Jerusalem operation last Sunday by saying that the timing of the operation and its place is damaging for the efforts to convince the International Court of Justice in the Hague over the legitimacy of the wall of separation which is built by Israel in the depth of the Palestinian territories.

Sharon's statements also came one day after his rejection to convene peace negotiations with the Palestinian leadership. Sharon alleged in statements he made before the foreign affairs committee and defense at the Israeli Knesset that the current Israeli government does not abide by the Roadmap peace plan backed by the US.

Sharon, however, is due to visit Washington in March in order to win the support of the US for the disengagement plan in order to proceed forward in the plan which is opposed by his own rightists supporters.

In December, Sharon disclosed proceeding unilaterally on the main lines for his plan which he says wins the support of Washington in case the negotiations stumbles concerning the Roadmap.

These political developments coincide with the Israeli forces closure yesterday morning of the two border crossing of Rafah between Egypt and the Palestinian territories and the trade Sofa crossing which is for transporting cement materials giving no clarification for the reasons behind that.

A Palestinian official security source said that the closure decision which was not declared earlier by the occupation forces led to the failure of the travelers movement and accused Israel of continuing the policy of harassing and aggression against the Palestinians.

On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces arrested 6 Palestinians in the West Bank, most of them are activists from the Fatah movement chaired by the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The detention acts concentrated in al-Beera city to the east of Ramullah and the villages of Bani Naem and Tasrqoumia in al-Khalil area.

Previous Stories:
  Arafat: Separation wall bars establishment of Palestinian state   (2/24/2004)
  Sharon: we will not negotiate with the current Palestinian leadership   (2/24/2004)
  Red Cross: Israel's barrier violates humanitarian law   (2/19/2004)

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