Sunday, June 12, 2005 16:20 IST
JNW HEADLINE NEWSPA won't honor pledge to disarm terrorists
By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial StaffJune 11th, 2005
Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority has no intention of honoring its commitment to disarm and dismantle the anti-Jewish terrorist infrastructure operating out of areas under its control, PA Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa said Saturday.
The PA had in recent years complained that Israeli anti-terror military activity had left its own forces incapable of effectively dealing with the terrorists, but al-Kidwa gave the lie to that assertion, explaining that the killers would be allowed to keep their weapons in any event.
“The dismantling of armed organizations is not on the table because weapons are legal as long as the occupation exists,” read a transcript of al-Kidwa's weekend interview with PA TV released by his office.
Israel entered into peace negotiations with the PLO (which controls the PA) with the understanding it had eschewed the path of terrorism and would ensure armed Muslim fanatics were no longer permitted to harm Israeli Jews.
Article XIV of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement (also known as “Oslo 2”) states, “Except for the Palestinian Police and the Israeli military forces, no other armed forces shall be established or operate in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”
It continues, “Except for the arms, ammunition and equipment of the Palestinian Police described in Annex I, and those of the Israeli military forces, no organization, group or individual in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip shall manufacture, sell, acquire, possess, import or otherwise introduce into the West Bank or the Gaza Strip any firearms, ammunition, weapons, explosives, gunpowder or any related equipment, unless otherwise provided for in Annex I.”
All subsequent agreements, including the US-backed Road Map signed by Abbas, repeat the same PA obligation to eliminate the threat of anti-Jewish terror by disarming Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the like.
Al-Kidwa, however, offered explanation for the long-standing non-compliance, noting that the "possession of weapons is a strategic issue as long as there is occupation.”
Israeli analysts have been pointing out for years the PA's continued use of terrorism as a negotiating tool in blatant violation of its commitments.
In response to al-Kidwa's remarks, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office stated, “Israel will not give up – not now and not in the future – the demand that the terrorist organizations be disarmed.”
The statement noted the PA had publicly committed itself to do so “when it accepted the Road Map.”
“There will be no diplomatic progress until this demand is satisfied,” it concluded.
JNW Site Search