Sunday, April 21, 2002 Iyyar 9, 5762
Israel Time: 04:39 (GMT+3)
Last update - 16:29 21/04/2002
Sharon: Israel has suspended all ties with UN envoy Larsen
By Aluf Benn, Ha'aretz Correspondent, Ha'aretz Service and agencies
A Palestinian man gives bread to a boy in the remains of their home in
Jenin refugee camp.
(Photo: Reuters)
Israel has suspended all ties with the United Nation's envoy to the Middle
East, Terje Roed-Larsen, who made several statements last week concerning
the IDF's operation in the West Bank, including calling the scene at the
Jenin refugee camp "horrifying beyond belief."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said at Sunday's cabinet meeting that he had
given unequivocal orders to the various branches of the government "not to
have anything to do with Larsen." He also said that he was considering
declaring Larsen 'persona non grata.'
This echoed an earlier call from Attorney-General Elyakim Rubinstein who
said that Israel should consider declaring Larsen 'persona non grata.'
Rubinstein added that he had looked closely at Larsen's statements in the
past few days, and that they are "lies."
In addition, Israel is also opposing Larsen being part of a UN fact-finding
team to inspect the refugee camp.
Larsen himself, speaking on Army Radio, said that he would not be a member
of the fact-finding mission, "since I will be one of the people the mission
will be talking to."
Larsen emphasized that he had not accused Israel of carrying out a
massacre. Rather, he claimed, he had said that Israel had not allowed
international relief operations access to the refugee camp.
President Moshe Katsav also joined in the criticism of Larsen Sunday,
saying that he understands the Israel's anger at the UN envoy's comments.
"The massacre was at the Park Hotel in Netanya," said Katsav referring the
Seder night suicide bomb attack on a crowded hotel killing 27, "this forced
the government to undertake the Operation Defensive Shield. If it wasn't
for this massacre, we would never have gone into where he did," continued
the president.
Trade and Industry Minister Dalia Itzik said that "Larsen has disqualified
himself from continuing as an honest broker between Israel and the
Palestinians." She added that his statements during his visit to the Jenin
refugee camp were "a kangaroo court unbefitting an objective diplomat."
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Sunday that Israel had nothing
to hide, and would co-operate fully with the United Nations fact-finding
mission to Jenin, but added that he had told UN secretary-general Kofi
Annan that the mission must be professional, not political, in nature.
Ben-Eliezer, speaking on Israel Radio, claimed that Larsen, was "guilty of
incitement".
Deploring the statements made by Larsen last week, Ben-Eliezer said that
the envoy had "adopted the Palestinians' stance - hook, line and sinker.
This is not the first time that Larsen's statements have caused
consternation Israel."
Transport Minister Ephraim Sneh accused Larsen of anti-Israel bias. "He
does not represent the U.N., he represents the other side," Sneh said on
Israel radio.
Israel will cooperate with UN team
Government sources said Saturday that Israel would co-operate with a
decision reached by the UN to send a fact-finding mission to the Jenin
refugee camp.
Israel Radio reported that tapes recording the IDF's operation in Jenin
would be presented to the UN delegation, and added that Israel would allow
the delegates to interview soldiers and commanders who took part in the
incursion.
The sources said that they hoped the delegation would remain objective and
impartial, as opposed to previous delegations sent to the region.
On Saturday, Israel told the American administration Saturday it would
object to the inclusion of three United Nations officials in the inspection
team due to inspect the Jenin refugee camp.
A source in Jerusalem said that the three officials, Larsen, UNRWA
Director-General Peter Hansen, and the body's human rights coordinator Mary
Robinson, have been strongly denouncing Israel over the past few days.
Officials in the Palestinian Authority said Saturday that they were
delighted with the UN decision to send a delegation to Jenin.
Palestinian cabinet member Saeb Erekat told Ha'aretz that the UN decision
is a "step in the right direction." He added that he hoped the team would
start their inspection in the near future.
Sections of the camp were destroyed during a three-week IDF incursion in
the camp, which saw some of the heaviest fighting in "Operation Defensive
Shield," launched by the IDF to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in
the West Bank.
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Knut Rognes
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