Jerusalem, 28 April 1996
CABINET COMMUNIQUE
(Communicated by Cabinet Secretariat)
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 28.04.96:
Further to the 26.4.96 decision of the Ministerial Committee for National
Security Affairs, which approved the document of understandings concluding
Operation Grapes of Wrath:
1. The Cabinet expresses its thanks and appreciation to all branches of
the IDF, which operated with determination and perseverance, and succeeded
in bringing about the situation and conditions in which the understandings
were reached without any casualties to our forces.
2. The Cabinet expresses its appreciation to residents of confrontation
line communities in the north for their firm stand, over an extended
period, allowing the IDF to operate without interference.
3. The Cabinet expresses its great sorrow over the attack against Lebanese
civilians in Kana, as the result of accidental Israeli shelling, but again
underscores the responsibility of Hizballah and the Lebanese government
for the circumstances which brought about the incident.
4. The Cabinet will work toward the rapid rehabilitation of northern
communities, and to fix damages caused to homes and infrastructure as soon
as possible. The Cabinet will examine ways to compensate for indirect
economic damages caused to confrontation areas.
5. The Cabinet expresses its appreciation and thanks to the President of
the United States and the Secretary of State for their great efforts and
contribution to the achievement of the document of understandings toward
ensuring the welfare and security of northern communities, while
preserving the IDF's freedom of action.
6. The Cabinet approved the appointment of Dr. Alon Liel as director of
the National Economic Planning Authority.
7. The Cabinet decided to create a ministerial committee to address the
issue of debts owed to Israelis by residents of the territories. The
committee will be headed by the Justice Minister, and its membership will
be comprised of the Finance, Foreign, and Public Security Ministers, as
well as Minister Yossi Beilin.
The committee will hear the complaints of Israeli creditors, and of others
whom it sees fit, regarding the difficulties in enforcing judgments
against Palestinians and in collecting debts from them. The committee will
submit its recommendations to the Cabinet as soon as possible.