Israel One-sidedly Cancels the Peace Talk with High-Standing Officials

Israel cancelled her high-level talk with Palestine that was to be held on 10th. Her decision was due to the three incidents of terrorist bombing. In revenge, Israelite tanks bombarded throughout the night of the 9th the Palestinian autonomous region west of river Jordan. This attack killed one Palestinian police officer. This incident further reduced the possibility of peace talks over the Middle-East situation.

When the culprit of the suicidal terror attack on the 9th on the train station in Nahariya, a resort city north of Israel, turned out to be an Arabic Israelite, the bloody situation that had occurred a year ago entered a new phase. This was the first incident whereby an Arab holding Israelite nationality took sides with Palestine to carry out a suicidal attack.

Israelite radio station announced the news that the culprit of the 9th suicidal bombing that killed four and injured thirty-six Israelites was an Arabic Israelite whose name was Muhammad Hubaisi (48). In the past suicidal terrorist attacks have been carried out by young Palestinian men in their teens or twenties. However, the news that this terrorist, a member of a Muslim armed group, was an Arabic Israelite shocked the Israel nation.

The estimated Arabic population of 1,200,000 constitutes 20 percent of the 6 million people of Israel. They sympathize with the Palestinians living on the west bank of river Jordan and the autonomous region of Gaza district. Since the bloody incident that occurred in September last year, thirteen Arabic Israelites were executed on the count of either having become associated with the Muslim armed group or having attacked Israelites.

The Israelite government claiming that, ``Behind this attack stands the Muslim armed group Hamas.`` refused to participate in the talk that was to be held that week with Yassar Arafatz, the head of the Palestinian autonomous government and Simon Perez, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

However Maguel Anghel Morakinos, the EU envoy to the Middle-East, while in his travel in the Middle-East, stated that the talk will be held as planned in Taba, a resort region by the Red Sea of Egypt.

The New York Times reported on the 9th that, on the other hand, if this talk happens as planned, it is very likely that George W. Bush, the President of the United States, will meet with Arafat in New York at the end of this month in order to offer arbitration propositions. Arafat is planning to visit New York in order to participate in the 56th UN general meeting.

Paik Kyung-Hak stern100@donga.com