Israeli officials say dozens of fugitives are hiding out in the hilltop compound and they accuse Rajoub of orchestrating at least two recent suicide attacks. [The Israeli army attacked Rajoub’s headquarters early on April 2, setting the building on fire.]The Beitunia confrontation has been overshadowed by the one at Mukata, Arafat’s headquarters, but it might be no less significant. As troops prepared to storm the compound, some Israelis were questioning the wisdom of targeting even the pragmatists. NEWSWEEK’s Dan Ephron spoke to Rajoub by phone yesterday.
NEWSWEEK: What’s the situation at your compound?
Jibril Rajoub: They are surrounding our headquarters. I think this is part of [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon’s agenda to destroy the Palestinian Authority, to destroy everything. They are claiming that some wanted people are inside my headquarters, but the fact is that no-one is inside except some people from Preventive Security.
Maybe some members of your force are wanted by the Israelis?
I think that every Palestinian is wanted by Israel. We’re all fugitives in their eyes. Even Yasir Arafat is wanted.
We’ve heard reports that Marwan Barghouthi, the West Bank Fatah leader wanted by Israel, is hiding in your compound.
You can say on my behalf that Marwan Barghouthi is not in my headquarters.
There seems to be a balance of fear now between Israeli tanks and Palestinian suicide bombers. I don’t know the meaning of fear, but I think that the Israelis are Israelis. I don’t want to say more.
But Israelis say Palestinian suicide attacks destroyed any chance for peace.
This is a reaction to what they’re doing. I’m sure you see on television what kind of crimes they’re committing here. They’re creating frustration and this leads to more attacks. Only peace will bring Israelis security, not more shooting.
Which Americans are you in contact with?
We are trying to talk to the Americans; we are trying to explain the situation to them. But it’s a question of what kind of influence we have over the Americans. I think the only party that can stop the Israelis is America. I wish they would do so.
Who specifically are you in touch with?
I have my counterparts, the people I dealt with in the past. I’m also in touch with people at the embassy and the consulate.
What do they say in response?
I’ll tell you what we tell them–that they should intervene to stop the Israelis, that no other party in the world can have an effect.
What do you know about Yasir Arafat’s situation?
Abu Amar [a Palestinian name for Arafat] is in high spirits. He’s operating in the manner that everybody expects him to act. He’s a symbol, a leader and a fatalist.
A fatalist?
He believes that things happen for a reason.
The Israelis have pledged not to harm him. How do you view that pledge?
Not to harm him? Then why are they just a few meters from his office? Yesterday morning one of his bodyguards was shot and killed at the entrance to his office. The Israelis have tried twice to enter. No-one should believe the Israelis. I believe they want to harm him.
And what if that happens?
I think it would be a catastrophe for the whole region. I think it would destroy any hope of peace for generations.
But Israelis see Arafat as the man who didn’t do a thing to stop suicide attacks by Hamas and by his own group. Could your security agency have helped prevent escalation by cracking down on Hamas?
I don’t think there’s a basis for asking me this question now. Look around. We’re all in prison. Mr. Sharon has put every Palestinian in prison. How can we be expected to prevent bombings? Mr. Sharon brought about this escalation.
But the Passover bombing preceded the latest Israeli offensive. The Israelis say Palestinians rejected U.S. special envoy Anthony Zinni’s cease-fire proposal.
We were ready to accept it. You can say on my behalf that we are ready to implement the Tenet proposal [a ceasefire program negotiated by CIA Director George Tenet last June] as Mr. Tenet envisioned it, but not as Mr. Sharon envisions it.
Where are the differences?
The new paper we received [from Zinni] did not mention any linkage to the Mitchell report [a peace plan prepared by former Sen. George Mitchell last May] and contained no schedule for an Israeli redeployment. The Israelis must redeploy to the pre-intifada borders. Without that, there can be no ceasefire.
Are you allowed to leave the compound?
I can’t leave. I’m in jail here along with everyone else in the building.
How can Israelis and Palestinians find a way out of this?
It’s up to Mr. Sharon. No Palestinian will raise the white flag to him. Blood begets blood.
