News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page
NewsMine — war-on-terror — israel — mossad — arms-scandals — Viewing Item |
Arms scandal shocks settlers { July 19 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2138155.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2138155.stm
Friday, 19 July, 2002, 11:25 GMT 12:25 UK
Arms scandal shocks settlers
Jewish settlers have expressed shock and outrage at news that at least four Israeli soldiers living in West Bank settlements have been arrested on charges of selling ammunition to Palestinian militants.
Two of the suspects, both brothers, lived in the Adora settlement where four Jews were killed during a Palestinian attack on 27 April.
The arrests of the soldiers followed tips of a vast smuggling operation of ammunition from Israel into the West Bank.
Ammunition theft from Israeli army bases has more than doubled in the past year.
Palestinians allege it has always been going on - but correspondents say it is rare for Jewish settlers to help arm Palestinians who have targeted the settlers for attack.
Shock
Israeli media reports alleged the men sold crates of rifle ammunition to a Palestinian member of the Tanzim militia - linked to the Fatah movement of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
The Adora residents have been named as Roi Amar, a soldier, and Oded Mulai, a civilian, police spokesman Gil Kleiman told the Associated Press news agency.
In addition to ammunition smuggling, two of the soldiers - brothers Moshe and Nadav Cohen from the Telem settlement - are suspected of getting Palestinian lorries through checkpoints into Israel by taking the wheel in their military uniforms, newspapers reported.
A Palestinian suspect from the West Bank village of Tarqumiya was also arrested, said Mr Kleiman.
And a sixth suspect, Kobi Uliel, a reserve major from southern Israel, is also believed to be in custody.
Anat Harari, an Adora resident who was wounded in the shoulder during the April attack, said she was appalled that her neighbours sold ammunition to Palestinians.
"To think - there were the terrorists in front of me, firing away... and one of our own might have supplied them with the bullets," she told Israeli television.
"They sold us for half a shekel [about 10 cents], the price of one bullet that ruined my life," she was quoted as telling the Yediot Ahronot newspaper.
"We're in confusion and shock," Telem resident Gideon Mizrachi told Israeli Radio. "Not just we on the settlement but the whole Israeli people, I think, is struck with disbelief."
But a Palestinian official quoted by Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv said that for years Palestinians had acquired their weapons from the Israelis.
"Why are you making such a fuss? This is normal and a well-known occurrence. At least 50% of the weaponry in the [Palestinian] territories comes from the Israeli army," the unnamed official was quoted as saying.
Alleged sales
60,000 5.56mm bullets (for Galil and M-16 assault rifles)
3,000 9mm bullets (for Uzi submachine guns or 9mm handguns)
Source: Yediot Aharonot newspaper
|
| Files Listed: 3 |
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political,
human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research and educational purposes. For more information,
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond
'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
