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ARAFAT DENOUNCES BIN LADEN, 9/11 ATTACKS
Israel will bar Palestinian
By Greg Myre, Associated Press
JERUSALEM -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat demanded Osama bin Laden stop using the Palestinian struggle for statehood as a reason for the al-Qaida terror network's attacks, in an interview published Sunday. Israel said it will bar Arafat from traveling to Bethlehem for Christmas for a second straight year.
"I'm telling him (bin Laden) directly not to hide behind the Palestinian cause," Arafat said in an interview published in the London Sunday Times.
Bin Laden "never helped us; he was working in another completely different area and against our interests," Arafat said.
Arafat denounced the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States and the Palestinian leadership has sought to distinguish between its fight with Israel and al-Qaida's terror campaign.
The Israeli government, in turn, has sought to link its conflict with the Palestinians to the U.S.-led fight against al-Qaida. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, blaming Arafat for more than two years of Mideast violence, has tried to persuade the United States that Palestinian terrorism is in the same category as al-Qaida terrorism, but the U.S. government has not gone along.
Last month al-Qaida claimed responsibility for twin terror attacks against Israelis in Kenya, calling the attacks a "Ramadan greeting" to the Palestinian people, referring to the Muslim holy month. The statement was seen as an attempt to win support for the terror network in the Arab and Muslim world, where resentment of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians is high.
Recently the Israelis claimed that al-Qaida members had infiltrated into the Gaza Strip, but the Palestinians hotly denied that.
Arafat aide Ahmed Abdel Rahman said, "We are not fighting the entire world, civilization and people. We don't want our just cause to be used as a cover by Sharon and his government to continue their escalation -- as though if the U.S. is fighting al-Qaida in Afghanistan, so Israel is fighting al-Qaida in Palestine."
Meanwhile, the decision to ban Arafat from Bethlehem emerged from the Sunday meeting of Israel's Cabinet, said an Israeli government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. At the session, Israel's military commander said his troops would remain in Bethlehem through the Christmas holiday.
The Palestinians, who take great pride in hosting the Christmas services in Manger Square that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world, sharply criticized the Israeli move.
"The Israeli decision ... is a violation of their promises to the American administration, the Vatican and the pope," said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, Arafat's spokesman. "All the excuses that they give are lies and are rejected."
ARAFAT DENOUNCES BIN LADEN, 9/11 ATTACKS
Israel will bar Palestinian
By Greg Myre, Associated Press
JERUSALEM -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat demanded Osama bin Laden stop using the Palestinian struggle for statehood as a reason for the al-Qaida terror network's attacks, in an interview published Sunday. Israel said it will bar Arafat from traveling to Bethlehem for Christmas for a second straight year.
"I'm telling him (bin Laden) directly not to hide behind the Palestinian cause," Arafat said in an interview published in the London Sunday Times.
Bin Laden "never helped us; he was working in another completely different area and against our interests," Arafat said.
Arafat denounced the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States and the Palestinian leadership has sought to distinguish between its fight with Israel and al-Qaida's terror campaign.
The Israeli government, in turn, has sought to link its conflict with the Palestinians to the U.S.-led fight against al-Qaida. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, blaming Arafat for more than two years of Mideast violence, has tried to persuade the United States that Palestinian terrorism is in the same category as al-Qaida terrorism, but the U.S. government has not gone along.
Last month al-Qaida claimed responsibility for twin terror attacks against Israelis in Kenya, calling the attacks a "Ramadan greeting" to the Palestinian people, referring to the Muslim holy month. The statement was seen as an attempt to win support for the terror network in the Arab and Muslim world, where resentment of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians is high.
Recently the Israelis claimed that al-Qaida members had infiltrated into the Gaza Strip, but the Palestinians hotly denied that.
Arafat aide Ahmed Abdel Rahman said, "We are not fighting the entire world, civilization and people. We don't want our just cause to be used as a cover by Sharon and his government to continue their escalation -- as though if the U.S. is fighting al-Qaida in Afghanistan, so Israel is fighting al-Qaida in Palestine."
Meanwhile, the decision to ban Arafat from Bethlehem emerged from the Sunday meeting of Israel's Cabinet, said an Israeli government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. At the session, Israel's military commander said his troops would remain in Bethlehem through the Christmas holiday.
The Palestinians, who take great pride in hosting the Christmas services in Manger Square that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world, sharply criticized the Israeli move.
"The Israeli decision ... is a violation of their promises to the American administration, the Vatican and the pope," said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, Arafat's spokesman. "All the excuses that they give are lies and are rejected."
