II. Seeking Peace Bulletin Issue #10 FEBRUARY 8, 2002 71% OF ISRAELIS WANT CONTINUED TALKS WITH PALESTINIANS The Dahaf Institute released the following Israeli poll information, based on 502 respondents. 71% of the respondents believe Israel should continue its talks with Palestinian representatives. At the same time, 70% responded that Israel should keep Palestinian Chairman Arafat under house arrest. The most mixed results came with the question “Do the targeted killings reduce terror?” Almost 40% responded the assassinations actually increase terror, while 31% felt it reduced terror. Over a quarter responded that it has no effect at all. The poll was released on February 8. (Yediot Achronot, 2/8/2) ISRAELI OFFICIAL: "POLICY OF TARGETED KILLINGS HAS NOT PROVEN EFFECTIVE" Former General Security Services (GSS) director Yaakov Peri criticized Israel's policy of targeted killings, saying: "It has not proven itself." In an interview on the Mishal Ham, program on Channel 2, Peri said that he is having a hard time understanding the government's policy and that "the line that the prime minister, the defense minister and the cabinet are taking is not giving the promised results at the moment." The GSS is responsible for internal security in Israel and in the territories. (Ma'ariv, 2/4/2) IDF LAWYERS SET CONDITIONS FOR ASSASSINATION POLICY The IDF Judge Advocate General spelled out the conditions that must be met before the Israeli army can carry out assassinations of terror suspects. JAG officers stressed that select killings of suspects can be carried out only under the following conditions: There must be well-supported information showing the terrorist will plan or carry out a terror attack in the near future. The policy can be enacted only after appeals to the Palestinian Authority calling for the terrorist's arrest have been ignored. Attempts to arrest the suspect by use of IDF troops have failed. The assassination is not to be carried out in retribution for events of the past. Instead it can only be done to prevent attacks in the future that are liable to toll multiple casualties. (Ha’aretz, 2/4/2) HOUSE DEMOLITIONS IN GAZA LEADS TO 5,124 HOMELESS PALESTINIANS In a recent report, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem found that the demolition of hundreds of houses in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip has rendered 5,124 people homeless since the beginning of the current violence in September 2000. “Injury of this kind to the civilian population cannot be justified on the grounds of 'pressing military necessity,' as Israeli officials contend," the report stated. The IDF Spokesman's response said regulation 23g of the Hague Convention permits destruction of property in cases deemed imperative due to the necessities of war. (Jerusalem Post, 2/4/2). For further information, head to: www.btselem.org "PROTECT THE BUDGET FOR THE ARAB COMMUNITY" SAY JEWISH AND ARAB GROUPS A broad coalition of Arab and Jewish groups recently sent a letter to every Member of Knesset, calling on them to refuse any proposal to cut the budget allocated to the Arab community. The current level of funding allocated to the Arab sector comprises 6.5% of the entire development budget. The letter also called for the protection of programs for the Bedouin of the Negev, whose lack of basic infrastructures is so stark. The groups included the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Adalah Legal Center, Adva Center, Arab Alternative Planning Center, Givat Haviva, Peace Now, Shatil, Sikkuy, Ta’ayush, the Abraham Fund, and the New Israel Fund. (Mossawa Center's Update, 1/31/2)