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Report Says Israeli Army To Make Use Of Seized Weapons
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| Israeli army accused of planning to use the seized weapons |
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, Jan. 7 (News Agencies) – Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has requested that an international inquiry committee be set up to investigate the incident of the Karine A ship, news agencies reported.
The committee must include the United States, European Union, Russia, United Nations, Arab counties, as well as Palestinian and Israeli members, the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported Arafat as saying.
Warning of jumping into conclusions, the Palestinian President accused the Israeli government of creating excuses for launching aggressive attacks against the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, Israeli public radio said Monday that part of the 50 tons of weapons the Israeli occupation army seized Thursday. 3 January, on a cargo ship 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Israel will be stored away and the rest will be destroyed.
Israel radio added the boat, named Karine A, will be used by Israeli naval units for training purposes, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
At least 83 waterproof containers were emptied of their military hardware which Israel claims was destined for Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority (PA).
According to the occupation army, the seized weapons included 122 mm Katyusha rockets with a 20 kilometer (12 mile) range, anti-tank rockets, mortar shells, guns for elite units, mines and ammunitions as well as 1.5 tons of explosives.
The Israeli daily newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, quoted a military source as saying that part of the seized weapons could be sold.
Mattresses, shoes, toys and various other articles were also found on the ship, said the paper. The poor quality of these items indicated that they were to allegedly serve as "cover" for the weapon cargo. Yediot further claimed Israeli officers suggested that these items could be distributed on the Palestinians.
Israeli officials claimed that Palestinian Authority officials had allegedly bought the ship for 400,000 dollars and the weapons for 15 million dollars.
"The regular price for such weapon load is estimated at tens of millions of dollars," the Israeli army's chief of staff, General Shaul Mofaz, told a press conference Sunday, 6 January.
Specialized London-based shipping newspaper, Lloyd's List, said, however, that the vessel "is probably Iraqi-owned."
Lloyd's List's David Osler said that if confirmed, the Iraqi ownership of the vessel could undermine Israeli claims that it was owned and crewed by the Palestinian Authority, and contained arms from Iran.
“Several commentators have pointed out that the timing of the find could not have been better for Israel’s hard-line president, Ariel Sharon, coinciding with the arrival of U.S. special envoy, General Anthony Zinni,” said Osler.
Investigations by Lloyd’s List have established that until a few months ago, the ship was known as the Rim K, a Lebanese-flag general cargo ship of 4.028 dwt, operated by Diana K Shipping of Beirut.
Lloyd’s List contacted the company, which replied that the vessel was sold August 31, 2001, to an Iraqi national.
Meanwhile, Jordanian government spokesman, Saleh Kallab, dismissed as "a farce" Israel’s accusations that an arms ship it seized in the Red Sea was carrying weapons for the Palestinians, the official Jordanian newspaper, Al-Dostur, reported Monday, 7 January.
In another development, Zinni left the Middle East early Monday after saying there were "real opportunities for progress."
Zinni, due to return to the region 18 January, ended his four-day visit with a closed joint security meeting aimed at strengthening a fragile ceasefire.
However, Palestinian political sources, who asked not to be named, gave the American envoy's mission a lukewarm response. They said Zinni had failed to set a timetable for the implementation of internationally backed peace plans or to propose concrete measures to lift Israeli restrictions.
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