Arabic News Weekly Edition for Palestine, 3/30/1998
Weekly Edition, Palestine - Week of March 30, 1998
- Israel violated a 7-month ceasefire with Hamas
In addition to President Arafat's direct call on Hamas not to retaliate for Sharif's death, US officials also said they believe the Palestinian government is working to prevent any retaliatory attacks by Hamas against Israel. But Israeli officials continued to blame the Palestinian government for any potential suicide attack Hamas might carry out. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 4/3/1998 - Hamas: Military action necessary to solve Palestinian issue
Abu Marzouk, a leader in Hamas' political bureau, added that the Palestinian government has to announce frankly that its sacred duty is to protect Palestinian security, not Israeli security. Palestine, Politics, 4/3/1998 - Retaliation by Hamas called for
As thousands mourned Hamas military leader Mohyiddin Sharif in Ramallah, three major Palestinian groups called on the Palestinian government to cease immediately all sorts of contact with Israel, which is believed to be responsible for the killing of Sharif. Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/2/1998 - Naveh criticizes Arafat Palestine-Israel, Politics, 4/2/1998
- Palestine trains 4,000 soldiers in anticipation of Israeli West Bank withdrawal Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/2/1998
- Israel increases security in expectation of suicide attacks
Hamas leaders rushed to threaten that the assassination of their man No. 1 after Ayyash "will not pass unpunished." Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/1/1998 - Mystery of explosion victim revealed: Hamas top official
A man found dead Monday after an explosion in an industrial zone in the Palestinian-controlled area of Ramallah was identified today by Palestinian police as Mouhidin al-Sharif, a high-ranking Hamas official. The police also said that Sharif had been shot before the explosion occurred. Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/1/1998 - Rubin: Palestine, Israel well short of bridging gaps
US State Department spokesman James Rubin said that despite US peace envoy Dennis Ross's recent meetings with the two sides, the Palestinians and Israelis are still "well short of the kind of hard decisions that need to be made to genuinely close and fully close the gaps" between them. Palestine-Israel-USA, International, 4/1/1998 - Hamas - student elections Palestine, Politics, 4/1/1998
- Arafat makes surprise visit to Egypt for talks with Mubarak
US State Department spokesman James Rubin said yesterday that the peace process "is in dire straits," due to the fact that "there hasn't been any movement for nearly a year now, that there is no direct negotiation, there's no progress on the multilateral track, there's no progress on the Syrian track." Palestine-Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/31/1998 - Hamas member sentenced Israel-Palestine, Judicial, 3/31/1998
- Uncertainty about next step as Ross leaves
It is not clear yet whether Netanyahu failed to respond positively to the US ideas because he simply disagrees with them or because of strong opposition within his government. Palestine-Israel-USA, Politics, 3/30/1998 - Land Day remembered
Land Day, rain was falling heavily throughout Monday as thousands of Palestinians living in Israel and in Palestinian areas took to the streets to mark the Land Day which falls every 30 March Palestine-Israel, Politics, 3/30/1998 - Chief Palestinian negotiator visits Jordan
"The Palestinian authorities made contacts with Arab leaders concerning the possibility of holding an Arab summit to discuss the outcome of the current efforts to salvage the peace process." Ureiqat told the press," the peace negotiations can only be resumed when Israel implements signed agreements and stops its unilateral actions." Ureiqat confirmed. Palestine-Jordan, Politics, 3/30/1998 - Elias Freij dies in Amman Palestine-Jordan, People, 3/30/1998
- Afro-Asian peoples support the Palestinians
The Afro-Asian peoples Solidarity Organization AAPSO has called for solidarity with the Palestinian Arab people in their struggle to establish their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Regional-Palestine, Politics, 3/30/1998 - Palestinians in Syria mark Land Day Syria-Palestine, Politics, 3/30/1998
- Ramallah explosion Palestine, Local, 3/30/1998
- Elias Freej dies Palestine, People, 3/30/1998