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Last update - 23:26 27/09/2009
Israel demands PA drop war crimes suit at The Hague
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: International Court 

Tensions are mounting between Israel and the Palestinian Authority following Ramallah's call on the International Court at The Hague to examine claims of "war crimes" that the IDF allegedly committed during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. The issue is already weighing in on the relations between the leadership of Israel's defense and security establishment with their counterparts in the West Bank, and is part of a growing list of Israeli complaints about the behavior of PA officials.

Meanwhile, Israel has warned the Palestinian Authority that it would condition permission for a second cellular telephone provider to operate in the West Bank - an economic issue of critical importance to the PA leadership - on the Palestinians withdrawing their request at the International Court.

The issue of a second cellular provider is at the center of talks between the PA, the international Quartet, and Israel, and has been ongoing for some months. Currently the sole provider is Pal-Tel, and the PA prime minister, Salam Fayyad, considers the introduction of another carrier as an important step in improving the civilian infrastructure in the West Bank. The project is central to Watanya, the company that is set to serve as the second provider, and profits are expected to be substantial
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However, if the project is not approved by October 15, the PA will be forced to pay a penalty estimated at $300 million, the sum that has already been invested in licensing and infrastructure.

Western diplomats, including the Quartet's envoy to the region, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, James Cunningham, have made it clear to senior Israeli officials that time is running out, and have urged them to allow for the establishment of a second provider to go forward.

Israel's objections begin with the issue of transmission frequencies. The frequencies that the Palestinians want the new company to use are very close to ones used by the Israel Defense Forces in some of its most sensitive activities.

"Israel is making it difficult for us on many levels," complains Mohammed Mustafa, economic adviser to PA President Mahmoud Abbas. "They now want us to pressure Pal-Tel to release some of its frequencies, so that they can be used by Watanya."

However, another, more substantive issue was recently added, when the Palestinian Authority appealed to the International Criminal Court. Security sources told Haaretz that this move, which was authorized by Fayyad and Abbas, incensed senior officials of the defense establishment, especially army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Ashkenazi has been kept busy by involvement in a holding action against the threat that Israeli officers would be brought before the court as a result of charges that the IDF committed war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Concern has intensified following the grave report that the Goldstone Commission released two weeks ago on behalf of the United Nations.

In Israel the argument is that the PA is being unfair, and that at the time of the operation in the Gaza Strip, last winter, its senior officials encouraged their Israeli counterparts to step up the pressure on Hamas, and even to attempt to bring its rule in the territory to the point of collapse. However, at a latter stage they joined those decrying Israel and its alleged actions in the Strip.

In light of this tension, the chief of staff conditioned his approval of a second cellular provider to the Palestinians' withdrawing their appeal to the court.

"The PA has reached the point where it has to decide whether it is working with us or against us," senior figures in the defense establishment have said. At the PA it is being said, in response to the Israeli demands, that Abbas and Fayyad will water down their appeal to the ICJ, though they will refuse to promise that it will rescinded entirely.

During the past year Israel defense officials have often praised the Palestinians on improving their contribution to securing the West Bank, and of the decisive character of the leadership under Fayyad. However, in recent weeks there have been increasing claims that even as the Authority is being praised by Israel and the international community, it is behaving irresponsibly by violating agreements between the two sides.

The Israeli claims focus on the growing presence of Palestinian security personnel in civilian clothing in East Jerusalem, contrary to the obligations of the PA. The security personnel participate in prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque, and at other sites in the city, and have stepped up their presence in the Jerusalem's medical and educational facilities. Moreover, they have also been involved in the abduction of Palestinians suspected of selling property to Jews.

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      1.   Once again, Israel (ab)using her economical power..... 08:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/09/09
      2.   The pot calling the kettle black 09:00  |  RF 27/09/09
      3.   Blackmail!!! 09:08  |  pd 27/09/09
      4.   No Preconditions, EXCEPT Israeli Preconditions 09:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/09/09
      5.   Diabolical Blackmail 09:57  |  Nour 27/09/09
      6.   Blackmail at its Best.. 10:25  |  Ram 27/09/09
      7.   Phones 10:30  |  mdl123 27/09/09
      8.   Once again, Israel (ab)using its economical power..... 10:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/09/09
      9.   Quisling-induction 10:39  |  Peter 27/09/09
      10.   If not guilty, why do you worry? 10:57  |  Palestinian 27/09/09
      11.   No need for anothe network 11:11  |  Alan 27/09/09
      12.   actually nour...yes you are 11:39  |  Guillermo 27/09/09
      13.   The PA is an Israeli toy 11:50  |  sami abu ismail 27/09/09
      14.   Cut off all services to the terrorist PA entity. 12:08  |  Wise Saba 27/09/09
      15.   Just sue Hamas at ICC then, don`t make customers pay 12:26  |  free advice 27/09/09
      16.   Dear Nour - read this and think twice 12:50  |  Joe Sittizen 27/09/09
      17.   Dear pd and Nour, et al: you`re forgetting Pal war crimes 14:07  |  Joe Sittizen 27/09/09
      18.   Dear pd and Nour, et al: you`re forgetting Pal war crimes 14:09  |  Joe Sittizen 27/09/09
      19.   Israel demand 14:35  |  proud american 27/09/09
      20.   Wise Saba 14:37  |  proud american 27/09/09
      21.   Joe Sittizen 14:40  |  flora 27/09/09
      22.   nour 14:44  |  flora 27/09/09
      23.   Cell phone tower 14:59  |  Marc 27/09/09
      24.   palestinian hypocrits. they side with Hamas terrorists 15:03  |  simpatico 27/09/09
      25.   Your life for a frequency. 15:31  |  Bazmann 27/09/09
      26.   War Crimes By Any Measure 15:33  |  Jack 27/09/09
      27.   Israel... 15:44  |  Pablo Luis 27/09/09
      28.   Palis are our friends 16:28  |  sabra 27/09/09
      29.   If there was parity in Mideast, would war crimes continue? 17:08  |  Atrick 27/09/09
      30.   Another sign of Israel turning into a banana republic 17:32  |  Joe 27/09/09
      31.   To RF in Tel Aviv #2 17:39  |  Mike 27/09/09
      32.   Israeli Arrogance 17:50  |  Bill 27/09/09
      33.   Rulings from the Hague 18:25  |  Catarin 27/09/09
      34.   Palestinians live under Israel`s thumbs 18:28  |  Adam 27/09/09
      35.   Israeli officials complaining about PA officials? 18:37  |  Apa 27/09/09
      36.   Is israel ever going to allow a viable Palestinian state!! 19:01  |  Levy 27/09/09
      37.   phone = war crimes 19:32  |  jojo star 27/09/09
      38.   An old Texas saying 19:48  |  Mark Lincoln 27/09/09
      39.   Again a contradiction 19:49  |  David 27/09/09
      40.   #16 Joe Sitizen 20:19  |  BDS 27/09/09
      41.   Which Is Why... 21:33  |  DenverChuck 27/09/09
      42.   Ashkenazi 21:53  |  Neil 27/09/09
      43.   Charge PA with multiple war crimes and mass murder 21:53  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 27/09/09
      44.   Israel demands....such audacity! 22:36  |  Palestinian Brit 27/09/09
      45.   #30 Chaim 23:08  |  Tony Price 27/09/09
      46.   Everybody Drops Charges 23:18  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/09/09
      47.   israel demands pa drop war crimes suit 23:51  |  stephen 27/09/09
      48.   Swiss (dino) is obviously perturbed 00:26  |  NOT-haaretz.com 28/09/09
      49.   Disgusting Israeli hypocrisy 01:05  |  Michael 28/09/09
      50.   Swiss Dino # 1 01:23  |  Philippe 28/09/09
      51.   Israel demands PA drop war crimes suit 02:11  |  Hugh 28/09/09
      52.   Hypocritical PA 02:14  |  Ron Day 28/09/09
      53.   #2 RF 02:16  |  Hugh 28/09/09
      54.   Why isn`t the PA requesting that Hamas be tried for firing Qassam 02:24  |  Murray of Montreal 28/09/09
      55.   Until the idiots in the Israeli 02:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 28/09/09
      56.   BLACKMAIL, pure and simple 02:54  |  VIPER 28/09/09
      57.   And for this Hamas sacrificed own people? 03:43  |  Meo 28/09/09
      58.   #41 Murray of Montreal 04:31  |  maoriboy 28/09/09
      59.   Ashkenazi 04:39  |  George Hunt 28/09/09
      60.   Pal: one always worries about kangaroo courts 06:07  |  Brad 28/09/09
      61.   #51 Errr, Murray..... 07:53  |  Johnboy 28/09/09
      62.   GIVE THE PA WHAT IT GIVES ISRAEL. 12:38  |  petra McIntyre 28/09/09
      63.   Oppressed are Always the Problem 15:38  |  Vladek 28/09/09
      64.   This was a point in the Goldstone report 22:44  |  kibishi 28/09/09
      65.   The whole war crimes thing is a farce 03:31  |  Jaffa 29/09/09
      66.   VLADEK "oppressed"have refused their own state repeatedly 04:02  |  PETER SM 29/09/09
      67.   Occupiers blackmailing their puppets? 21:50  |  SRSabbah 29/09/09
      68.   Criminal Court: PA cannot agree to drop charges 00:25  |  pabelmont 30/09/09
      69.   Disgusting comments 15:20  |  Some internet guy 30/09/09
      70.   Cast Lead 04:50  |  Heshy from the Bronx 27/10/09
      71.   Israel demands PA drop war crimes suit at The Hague 08:43  |  Goldman 27/10/09
      72.   PA drop war crimes 00:18  |  Tommy Keogh 28/10/09
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