Israeli special forces stormed into a West Bank house early Wednesday and freed a taxi driver from his Palestinian captors, the military said. Israel TV reported that the kidnappers were "criminals," who were trying to win favor with armed groups and the Palestinian Authority, but no group agreed to take the Israeli from them. The kidnappers had no affiliation with any group, the report added.
The military statement said the arrest of two members of the kidnappers' gang earlier in the evening made the rescue possible. the Israeli man was held in Beitunia, a suburb of the town of Ramallah.
Meanwhile, addressing British Jewish leaders, Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon called on his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to dismantle and disarm armed groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
In his address, Sharon also called on Britain and other European countries to pressure the Palestinian Authority to "take all the necessary steps [to which] they committed
themselves against terror" in the road map.
"Right now, I would say very small steps were taken. I hope that will change," Sharon said. Sharon repeated his appeal for London to break off its contacts with Yasser Arafat.
"[Britain and other European countries] have to make every effort to disconnect themselves from Arafat, who is making every effort to undermine the new government," Sharon said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
