arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

President Arafat emphasises need to cease attacks Friday, June 21st, 2002 Palestine Media Center

President Yasser Arafat issued a statement on Wednesday evening, 19 June, stressing the need to cease attacks against Israeli civilians, emphasizing that such attacks do not constitute legitimate resistance to Israeli military occupation, and which Israel uses as a "pretext" to continue its aggression and invasions of Palestinian cities and towns.

Below is a transcript:
In my official capacity and given my national and regional responsibilities, I find it vitally important to address my People especially during the present dangerous situation, whereby our People and their national existence and future are subjected to complete, escalating Israeli military aggression. In this context, I unequivocally declare my condemnation to all attacks that target Israeli civilians, which do not constitute legitimate resistance to the Israeli military occupation nor our legitimate right to defend our national existence, holy sites, and land from the illegal settlement construction.
Targeting civilians, whether they are Israelis or Palestinians, is a deplorable act, which the Palestinian leadership and I personally, along with the international community, abjectly censure. These attacks have provided the current Israeli government with excuses to invade our land, kill and injure hundreds of our innocent civilians, to obliterate what our People and National Authority have built over the past eight years, as well as destroy our institutions, cities, and refugee camps, and even our holy sites.
At present, the Israeli government is threatening to reinstate military occupation of our land and displace our people, under the pretext of fighting terrorism targeting Israeli civilians.
Consequently, I must vehemently emphasize to you the need to absolutely cease and desist these attacks, which have been persistently condemned by the Palestinian leadership. We have taken serious steps to stop these attacks for the sake of the national interest of our People, particularly as the whole world is united behind our right to regain our land and establish our independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as our capital. Regrettably however, there are those who are trying to obstruct realizing this national goal, which the Arab world and the international community fully support.
http://www.palestine-pmc.com

Yasser Arafat a condamné les attaques contre les civils ISRAELIENS (excusez-moi pour ce lapsus...)