Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 19, 1990 TAG: 9003222373
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: JERUSALEM LENGTH: Medium
Carter, on a three-day visit to Israel as part of a Middle East tour, cited as abuses Israeli detention of Palestinian activists without trial, house demolitions as punishment and what he termed "excessive use of firearms" against Arab demonstrators.
"I think the intefadeh is being perpetuated partially by the abuse of the Palestinians," he said.
Intefadeh is the Arabic word used by Palestinians for their 27-month revolt against Israeli rule in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed east Jerusalem as part of its capital and rules the territories through a military government.
Israeli soldiers or civilians have killed 665 Palestinians since the uprising began in December 1987. An additional 198 Palestinians have been killed by fellow Arabs, most on suspicion of collaborating with Israeli authorities. Forty-three Israelis have died in the violence.
Israel has said force is necessary to put down Palestinian violence and that actions such as detentions and house demolitions deter anti-Israeli activities.
Carter made his comments to reporters after a half-hour meeting with the board of the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. The group, founded by liberal Israeli politicians and academics, monitors activities in the territories.
He also met with 13 Palestinian leaders from the occupied territories and representatives of Al Haq-Law in the Service of Man, a Palestinian human rights group.
by CNB