An end to a prison brings an end to security arrangements
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
The streets in Gaza City were very quite and calm today. The main reason
is due the isolation of the entire city from the rest of towns within the
Gaza Strip. Israeli occupation forces divided up the Gaza strip into three
separate entities today, Feb. 12th. To the south of Gaza City, Israeli
tanks, coming from the Nitzarim Jewish settlement, crossed the main seaside
road. By doing that, the city of Gaza is simply cut off from any link to
the south. Some desperate individuals who cross either way take the risky
and dangerous route of walking on the beach only tens of meters under the
nose of Israeli heavy machine guns on top of tanks. Many incidents were
reported in the past of tanks firing at pedestrians who walk to beach in
an attempt to reach destinations in the city of Gaza or vise-versa.
However, despite the relative calm today, local Palestinians were talking
passionately about a major issue concerning any future security arrangement
with Israel. What Israel did yesterday by attacking the main security complex
carried serious implications on matters of bilateral security arrangements.
The Israeli F16s destroyed the main prison in Gaza City. It is the first
time this compound was targeted by Israel since the beginning of the Intifadah.
Of the so-called militants, many were jailed inside this compound.
Despite the intensity of the conflict, Palestinians and Israelis sometimes
found room to meet and discuss points of urgency regarding security especially
when it comes to arresting militants from Hamas, Islamic Jihad or others.
Both sides know how important the Al Sarrya complex is to carry out whatever
commitments agreed by both sides. Israeli intelligence understands very
well what Al Sarrya measn to the Palestinians and hence any future act
of arresting individuals accused of terror.
A top Palestinian security official announced hours after the air strike
that the notion of arresting militants normally requested by Israel, is
simply over. He said we could not work in such circumstances. He expressed
his fear for the lives and well being of the detainees. The Palestinian
Authority can not take on the responsibility of locking up militants and
having Israel bomb them afterwards.
Another official added, that means Israel has crossed a new red line. Cooperation
of arresting militants is simply impossible as a result of Israeli destructive
tactics. Sharon is not trustworthy.
Gaza City,
Feb., 12th., 2002
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