Post by Salem6 on Dec 1, 2003 9:45:47 GMT
Israel has carried out a raid in the West Bank town of Ramallah, arresting at least 30 Palestinian suspects.
The Israelis entered the town at dawn, carrying out house-to-house searches.
The move came a day before Palestinian factions meet in Egypt to discuss halting attacks on Israelis.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Jerusalem says many Palestinians will see the timing as provocative.
Israel's "security fence" is a major sticking point
The raid comes during a visit by United States envoy William Burns, who on Sunday met senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Afterwards Mr Burns reiterated America's call for Palestinians to stop violence, and for Israel to dismantle settler outposts.
Our correspondent says Israelis never stopped making arrests during the recent period of relative calm. But this seems to be a larger sweep than normal.
It involved more than 60 tanks, jeeps and armoured personnel carriers, according to Palestinian officials.
The Israelis say 30 people were detained - Palestinians speak of "dozens" of arrests.
The target was the Palestinian militant group Hamas - which Israel says is responsible for the deaths of 60 of its citizens in three years of fighting.
Outposts obstacle
Mr Burns is seeking to bolster the official US-backed peace plan, known as the roadmap, which has all but collapsed because of continuing Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Burns wants Qurei to meet Sharon face to face
Mr Burns said Washington would continue to work with Israel and the Palestinians to help them fulfil their obligations.
This, he said, included the issue of "unauthorised outposts" - Jewish settlements built in the West Bank and Gaza without Israel Government approval, the dismantling of which is demanded by the roadmap.
Earlier, Mr Sharon said some outposts were vital to Israel's security.
Mr Burns has also been trying to encourage the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers to meet face-to-face, but Palestinian PM Ahmed Qurei has said Israel must stop building a barrier in the West Bank first.
Mr Sharon has refused to stop work on the fence, which he says is vital to stop Palestinian suicide bombers from infiltrating into Israel.
Alternative plan
Mr Burns's visit coincides with Monday's launch in Geneva of an alternative Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.
GENEVA ACCORD: MAIN POINTS
Israeli withdrawal from almost all West Bank and Gaza
Shared sovereignty over Jerusalem
Palestinian renunciation of 'right of return'
The so-called Geneva Accord, which has been drafted in secret by left-wing Israelis and unofficial Palestinian negotiators, will be signed in the Swiss city.
Israeli officials have denounced the plan as an attempt by Mr Sharon's opponents to undermine the government, while Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has not given the plan his public support.
The plan calls for a two-state solution, based on an almost complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza, shared sovereignty over Jerusalem and a renunciation by the Palestinians of any right of Palestinian refugees to resettle in Israel.
The BBC's Middle East correspondent, James Reynolds, says that although it has no official status, the accord's drafters are going ahead as if it is all for real.
The Swiss Government has organised a formal ceremony and an audience of Nobel peace prize winners has been invited along to watch.
Video:-
The BBC's Linden Kemkaran
"There's still a very long way to go"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39546000/rm/_39546916_mideast05_kemkaran01_vi.ram
The Israelis entered the town at dawn, carrying out house-to-house searches.
The move came a day before Palestinian factions meet in Egypt to discuss halting attacks on Israelis.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Jerusalem says many Palestinians will see the timing as provocative.
Israel's "security fence" is a major sticking point
The raid comes during a visit by United States envoy William Burns, who on Sunday met senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Afterwards Mr Burns reiterated America's call for Palestinians to stop violence, and for Israel to dismantle settler outposts.
Our correspondent says Israelis never stopped making arrests during the recent period of relative calm. But this seems to be a larger sweep than normal.
It involved more than 60 tanks, jeeps and armoured personnel carriers, according to Palestinian officials.
The Israelis say 30 people were detained - Palestinians speak of "dozens" of arrests.
The target was the Palestinian militant group Hamas - which Israel says is responsible for the deaths of 60 of its citizens in three years of fighting.
Outposts obstacle
Mr Burns is seeking to bolster the official US-backed peace plan, known as the roadmap, which has all but collapsed because of continuing Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Burns wants Qurei to meet Sharon face to face
Mr Burns said Washington would continue to work with Israel and the Palestinians to help them fulfil their obligations.
This, he said, included the issue of "unauthorised outposts" - Jewish settlements built in the West Bank and Gaza without Israel Government approval, the dismantling of which is demanded by the roadmap.
Earlier, Mr Sharon said some outposts were vital to Israel's security.
Mr Burns has also been trying to encourage the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers to meet face-to-face, but Palestinian PM Ahmed Qurei has said Israel must stop building a barrier in the West Bank first.
Mr Sharon has refused to stop work on the fence, which he says is vital to stop Palestinian suicide bombers from infiltrating into Israel.
Alternative plan
Mr Burns's visit coincides with Monday's launch in Geneva of an alternative Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.
GENEVA ACCORD: MAIN POINTS
Israeli withdrawal from almost all West Bank and Gaza
Shared sovereignty over Jerusalem
Palestinian renunciation of 'right of return'
The so-called Geneva Accord, which has been drafted in secret by left-wing Israelis and unofficial Palestinian negotiators, will be signed in the Swiss city.
Israeli officials have denounced the plan as an attempt by Mr Sharon's opponents to undermine the government, while Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has not given the plan his public support.
The plan calls for a two-state solution, based on an almost complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza, shared sovereignty over Jerusalem and a renunciation by the Palestinians of any right of Palestinian refugees to resettle in Israel.
The BBC's Middle East correspondent, James Reynolds, says that although it has no official status, the accord's drafters are going ahead as if it is all for real.
The Swiss Government has organised a formal ceremony and an audience of Nobel peace prize winners has been invited along to watch.
Video:-
The BBC's Linden Kemkaran
"There's still a very long way to go"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39546000/rm/_39546916_mideast05_kemkaran01_vi.ram