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PALESTINIANS WARN:
Sharon Preparing Israeli Public for rejection of Sharm El-Sheik Fact-Finding
Committee report
25 Mar 2001
Palestinian officials warned on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is setting
the stage for rejecting the recommendations of the Sharm El-Sheik Fact Finding Committee
even before the Committee has begun drafting its report.
Minister of Information and Culture, Yasser Abed Rabbo, stated that “Sharon is fully
aware that an independent and neutral committee will hold Israel largely accountable for
the current crisis and as a result, he is already setting the stage to reject the
Committee’s report as unfair and biased.”
Abed Rabbo’s comment came after reports that Sharon called Israel’s agreement to
the formation of the Committee a “historic mistake”, and vowed that Israel will
not agree to be “put on trial.” Abed Rabbo called Sharon’s comments a form
of “pre-emptive blackmail,” adding that “Israel’s superficial
cooperation with the Committee, while clearly indicating its intention to ignore the
Committee’s conclusions, is further evidence of Sharon’s belief that Israel is
above the law.”
Israel has repeatedly attempted to impede the Committee’s work. It suspended
cooperation with the Committee in mid-January and twice delayed the Committee’s
arrival. Last Thursday, Israel refused to allow Palestinian coordinators and members of
the press to accompany the Committee in an official convoy from Ramallah to Hebron.
The Committee completed its meetings in occupied Palestinian territory yesterday by
touring Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and meeting with Palestinian businessmen and
mayors in Bethlehem.
Palestinians have urged the Committee to investigate the “root causes” of the
Intifada, such as Israel’s policy of on-going settlement construction and land
confiscation, both of which violate the Oslo Agreement’s prohibition on unilateral
actions which would prejudice a final peace agreement.
For further information contact:
Palestine Media Center
Tel: 02 240 77 21/9
Fax: 02 240 77 30
E-mail: pmc@palestine-pmc.com
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