Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, reportedly intends to declare suicide bombing illegal and announce the recognition of Israel during a speech at the Palestinian Legislative Council later today. According to a text provided to the Associated Press, Mr. Arafat will state that suicide bombings in Israeli restaurants, buses, and schools give the government a pretext for severe retaliation. He will also say that recognizing the right of the Israeli people to live in peace and security is in the national interest of the Palestinians. Today's Palestinian parliament session in Ramallah in the West Bank is the first since the start of the current two-year uprising in the occupied territories. Palestinian parliament representatives from the Gaza Strip boycotted the current parliament session because Israel did not allow 12 representatives from Gaza to leave. The Israeli government has prevented 13 Palestinian parliament representatives residing in Gaza from attending the parliament session in Ramallah, which is set to open on Tuesday. The parliament session is expected to approve new cabinet minister appointments made by Yasser Arafat. Palestinian officials say that nonetheless, the parliament will begin its work as scheduled, and representatives who could not attend the meeting will participate via a private television program. An Israeli official stated that the majority of Palestinian parliament representatives residing in Gaza can attend the Ramallah session, and only those deemed security risks are not allowed to leave Gaza.
Arafat Plans to Declare Suicide Bombing Illegal
Yasser Arafat plans to declare suicide bombings illegal and recognize Israel in a speech at the Palestinian Legislative Council. This session is significant as it is the first since the recent uprising and highlights tensions regarding representation and security in the Palestinian territories. The actions taken by Arafat could influence the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Yasser Arafat plans to declare suicide bombings illegal and recognize Israel during a speech at the Palestinian Legislative Council. This session is significant as it marks the first meeting since the recent uprising and highlights ongoing tensions regarding representation and security.
- Arafat's speech aims to curb violence and promote peace.
- The session is boycotted by representatives from Gaza due to Israeli restrictions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing for decades, characterized by violence, territorial disputes, and failed peace negotiations. Arafat's leadership has been pivotal in shaping Palestinian national identity and aspirations.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%