On Intifada Anniversary, Israeli Officers Condemn Military Tactics in Occupied Territories
VOA News
28 Sep 2004, 14:33 UTC
Four Israeli military officers in an elite commando unit have authored a letter condemning Israeli military tactics in the Palestinian territories.
The letter denounces what its authors call the "systematic harassment of the Palestinian population," including the widespread demolitions of Palestinian homes in the Gaza Strip. Israel says the demolitions are sometimes necessary to deny cover to militants who attack Israeli troops and settlers.
Excerpts of the letter, addressed to Israel's Air Force chief, were published Tuesday in Israeli newspapers. The letter appeared on the fourth anniversary of the current Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. At least 3,000 Palestinians and 940 Israelis have been killed in the violence.
On September 28, 2000, then-Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's trip to a disputed Jerusalem holy site touched off this latest uprising.
The anniversary has raised new questions about the revolt, which was marked by yet another year of bloodshed, economic hardship and political uncertainty for the Palestinian people.
A peace plan drawn by the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations aims to end the uprising and establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel by the end of 2005. But there also is no sign of progress.
The violence in the occupied territories continued Tuesday as Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians in a Jenin refugee camp. One of them was a teenager and the other was described by witnesses as a mentally handicapped man.
Meanwhile, an Israeli-Arab producer for the Cable News Network has been freed, one day after being abducted by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip.
Riad Ali was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen. The motive behind his abduction is still not clear.
Palestinian militant organizations denied involvement in Mr. Ali's kidnapping. Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia had described the abduction as a criminal act that harms the interests of all Palestinians.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters.
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