PA: Israel punishing our leaders
After Israeli soldiers' refusal to let former Palestinian PM Qureia into Jordan with his car, telling him to take bus, Palestinian Authority spokesman says officials being punished for political positions in peace talks
IDF soldiers guarding the border refused to allow Qureia, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, from crossing the Allenby Bridge with his car on Wednesday, and suggested that he and his wife take the bus like other travelers.
Other Palestinian officials say thy have received a message that Israel will deny them the benefits they were given as part of the Oslo Accords.
Spokesperson Ghassan Khatib called the measure yet another step made by Israel to limit the activity of Palestinian leaders.
Israeli security officials said on Wednesday that the decision to deny Qureia entrance into Jordan with his car was influenced in part by his recent statements against Israel. "These statements are unjustified and tendentious," one official said.
Queria recently said that the Palestinians have many options if the peace negotiations fail, including resistance. PA officials said that Israel's actions are a punishment for his positions.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with the chief of Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman, to discuss the peace process.
"Suleiman came here as a representative of President Mubarak, in an effort to examine what can be done to overcome the stalemate in direct talks with the Palestinians as well as moderate Arab republics," Barak said.
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