(Ha'aretz) Aluf Benn - A political source in Jerusalem said Bush administration envoys Elliott Abrams and David Welch raised Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef's request for arming the Palestinian police during their visit to Israel last week. Israeli officials responded: "Let them first take the weapons from the terrorists." A source within the defense establishment said the U.S. security coordinator in the Middle East, Lt.-Gen. William Ward, "did not ask to supply the Palestinian police officers with weapons, but merely asked what Israel's position would be regarding Russia's request to give the Palestinian police armored vehicles. He was told that Israel was opposed to this."
2005-04-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive