HAARETZ 2003.08.25. 1. FOUR HAMAS TERRORISTS ELIMINATED IN GAZA; ISRAEL: THEY WERE PREPARING SUICIDE ATTACK. Among those killed: Senior organization military wing leader. Hamas source: Israelis will pay heavy price. Yaalon: All of movements terrorists are targets for elimination; Hamas leadership in Syria and Gaza will not be let off freely. Mofaz: PAs steps against terror are only for show. Continuing tension between Abu Mazen and Arafat over Interior Minister.
2. FOR THIRD TIME: AUSTRIA REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE CYRIL KERN. 3. KNESSET CHAIRMAN PROPOSES: SUPREME COURT PRESIDENT TO BE CHOSEN BY COMMITTEE COMPOSED MAINLY OF POLITICIANS. 4. NETANYAHU TO PARITZKY: NO TAXES ON INHERITANCES AND GIFTS. 5. Israel-US: Process for giving visas to those born in Arab countries to be shortened. FINAL: ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO EXEMPT ISRAELIS FROM VISAS. HATZOFEH 1. Attack helicopters eliminate four terrorists who had launched mortars at Israel. CHIEF-OF-STAFF: WE WILL ALSO HIT HAMAS LEADERS IN DAMASCUS. IDF armored units and infantry deploying opposite Gaza. Senior security establishment officials held discussion on Israeli policy yesterday. DM: File on Arafat is getting bigger. Israel continues to ease restrictions on Palestinian population. High police alert continues following Hamas threats to perpetrate attacks. Paratroop, Golani and Nahal Brigades active yesterday in Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarm. 2. MUHAMMAD DAHLANS FUTURE UNCLEAR IF YUSUF IS APPOINTED INTERIOR MINISTER. 3. HIZBALLAH: PROGRESS ON CAPTIVE EXCHANGE ISSUE. MAARIV 1. Hizballah operations officer eliminated. HUNT CONTINUES. Yesterday afternoon, Chief-of-Staff threatened: All senior Hamas leaders are targets for elimination. Few hours later, IDF helicopters killed four terrorists in organization, including Ahmed Shatiwi, responsible for links with West Bank cells. In the morning: Kassam rocket aimed at Ashkelon power station hits Zikim Beach. 2. Expose: Under veil of secrecy, construction of fence in eastern Jerusalem has begun. FENCE THAT WILL UNIFY JERUSALEM. After Jerusalem attack, bulldozers began determining facts on the ground: Abu Dis and Sur Baher to remain west of Jerusalem envelope. YEDIOT AHRONOT 1. SENIOR HAMAS LEADER ELIMINATED IN GAZA. Gaza Strips operations officer eliminated by helicopters. Hamas: We will take revenge. Chief-of-Staff: All Hamas leaders – targets for elimination. ______________________________ EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS Yediot Ahronot comments that although we have lost all trust in the Palestinians, We have no alternative but to talk with the Palestinian Authority. The editors believe that since the current Palestinian government has never enjoyed strong support on the street, and has – since its inception – been caught between the terrorist organizations and the need for US financial support, more must be done to show tangible benefits to the Palestinians: Not just to release a few hundred prisoners
but to release a thousand prisoners
as one example. However, at the same time, the terrorists must not be allowed to develop rockets, and in the old city of Nablus where there are Hamas cells, no one should breathe freely for months until all the fugitives are caught. The paper urges the government to take such aggressive steps but, at the same time, to show a generous hand and lift all checkpoints and closures where possible. Hatzofeh says The conflicting messages from the Palestinians yesterday on the decision on whether or not to appoint a new Interior Minister
reflects the power struggle between the different bodies within the Palestinian Authority, with Yasser Arafats broad shadow hovering in the background. The editors note that the ceasefire has officially collapsed and believe that the Palestinian Authority feels pressured in the wake of IDF operations and the damage to terrorist infrastructure, and is trying to buy time. The paper argues that this is why the Palestinian Authority confiscated weapons and uncovered a tunnel used to hide and smuggle arms this week and says that, The exercise here was so transparent that theres no point in wasting words on it. The editors assert that the Palestinian Authority has no desire to fight terrorism and urge the government to continue to fight terror since the PA cannot be relied on to dismantle the terrorist organizations for us.
