DATE= 10/6/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-220908
TITLE=NETANYAHU (L)
BYLINE=MARK LAVIE
DATELINE=TEL AVIV
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS SPOKEN OUT
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE ABOUT ISRAEL'S BOTCHED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
IN JORDAN OF A LEADER OF THE ISLAMIC EXTREMIST ORGANIZATION
HAMAS. MARK LAVIE REPORTS THAT IN THE FACE OF WIDESPREAD
CRITICISM, MR. NETANYAHU IS DEFIANT.
TEXT: AFTER A SPECIAL ISRAELI CABINET MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT'S
BEING CALLED HERE THE WORST FIASCO IN ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE
OPERATIONS, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CAME OUT
SWINGING AT HIS CRITICS. HE APOLOGIZED FOR NOTHING, SAYING IN
THE UNENDING WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, SOMETIMES THINGS GO WRONG --
AND THAT'S PART OF WAR.
// NETANYAHU CUT IN HEBREW AND FADE UNDER //
IN EVERYTHING WE DO...DECLARED MR. NETANYAHU...WE HAVE ONE GOAL
IN MIND..A GOAL THAT IS TOTALLY JUSTIFIED -- FIGHTING TERROR, TO
PROTECT THE LIVES OF ISRAELI CITIZENS.
HE LASHED OUT AT HIS CRITICS, DECLARING THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE
RALLIED ROUND THE GOVERNMENT AT A TIME OF CRISIS WHEN ISRAELI
AGENTS WERE STILL IN THE FIELD -- A REFERENCE TO THE TWO MOSSAD
AGENTS WHO TRIED TO KILL THE HAMAS LEADER IN JORDAN BUT WERE
CAPTURED.
MR. NETANYAHU BRUSHED OFF QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS OWN JUDGMENT -- OF
CHOOSING JORDAN AS THE BATTLEGROUND FOR THE STRUGGLE AGAINST
HAMAS ... AND OF DAMAGING ALREADY SHAKY RELATIONS WITH AN ARAB
NATION THAT HAS A PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL.
THE ISRAELI CABINET APPOINTED A COMMITTEE TO CHECK INTO THE
AFFAIR. IT INCLUDES A FORMER HEAD OF THE MOSSAD. BUT IT
REPORTS BACK TO THE CABINET -- AND ITS FINDINGS MIGHT NOT BE MADE
PUBLIC.
THIS COMES AS ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS RENEW THEIR PEACE
NEGOTIATIONS AFTER A SIX-MONTH BREAK. AMERICAN ENVOY DENNIS ROSS
ARRIVED HERE TO ATTEND THE FIRST SESSION. THE ISRAELI AND
PALESTINIAN COMMITTEES WILL GO BACK TO TRACKING ISSUES THEY'VE
BEEN DISCUSSING FOR YEARS ... OPENING SEAPORTS AND AIRPORTS FOR
THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA, AND ALLOWING FREE PASSAGE FOR
PALESTINIANS THROUGH ISRAEL BETWEEN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.
BUT BOTH SIDES SAY THEY'LL RAISE TOUCHIER ISSUES. THE ISRAELIS
WILL INSIST THAT THE PALESTINIANS FIGHT TERRORISM...AND THE
PALESTINIANS WILL DEMAND THAT ISRAEL STOP BUILDING (JEWISH)
SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK. (SIGNED)
NEB/ML-EMAIL/RRM
06-Oct-97 5:04 PM EDT (2104 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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