Jerusalem, 5 April 2002
DM Ben-Eliezer meets EU Envoy Solana & Spanish FM Pique
(Communicated by the Defense Minister's Media Adviser)
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer met yesterday (Thursday), April
4, 2002 with European Union High Representative for Common Foreign
and Security Policy Dr. Javier Solana and Spanish Foreign Minister
Josep Pique.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer said that Israel is under attack by a
"coalition of terrorist organizations" in both the Palestinian arena
as well as the Lebanese. Syria has released the reins on Hizbullah
which has led to their actions.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer asked the Europeans to intervene with
the Syrian leader in order to make clear the significance of the
policy he is following of "playing with fire".
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer said in regard to the Palestinian issue
that Arafat thinks that he is completely safe and he has nothing to
lose, and he therefore continues to support terror operations. Hence,
the government decided to isolate him. It is very important that the
messages put out by world leaders do not strengthen his belief. The
objective of the operation, therefore, is to deal with the main
concentrations of terror thereby foiling attacks and providing a
higher level of security for Israel's citizens.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer emphasized that there is no military
solution to the Palestinian issue, and although he supports the Saudi
initiative in principle, there is currently no partner for the
diplomatic process with Arafat having rejected even US envoy Zinni's
initiative.
At the request of the Europeans, Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer
authorized the release of all foreign citizens who are not suspected
of involvement in terror, and who are trapped in holy sites in which
the terrorists have holed up in the Bethlehem area. The Defense
Minister promised that the IDF will not damage the Church of the
Nativity or any other holy site, but the Palestinians are making
cynical use of these sites.