Israel Foreign Ministry, Information Division

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS AN ENTITY THAT SUPPORTS TERRORISM

Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat

At the special Cabinet meeting on Monday night, December 3, 2001:

  1. The Cabinet has determined that last weekend's deadly and cruel terror attacks illustrate our enemies' lack of inhibitions, and requires actions more wide-ranging than those taken against the Palestinian terrorism until now.

  2. According to the decision by the Ministerial Committee for National Security of October 17, 2001, the Government has determined that the Palestinian Authority is an entity that supports terrorism, and must be dealt with accordingly. In the framework of this decision, the Ministerial Committee for National Security is authorized to decide on operational steps (military, diplomatic, information and economic). This determination is subject to change - by Cabinet decision - if the Palestinian Authority fulfills its commitments, according to the agreements, to prevent and foil terrorism, punish terrorists and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.

  3. By the authority of section 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Regulations, the government hereby declares that the Tanzim and Force 17 (Presidential Guard) are terrorist organizations, and will be acted against accordingly.

  4. Authorization of a small team of ministers (or a team with a larger number of ministers - according to the Prime Minister's decision - as long as the team includes at least the Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Foreign Minister) to take operative actions in the framework of the war on terrorism will continue.

  5. The Israeli information campaign will focus on Arafat's responsibility for the terrorism emanating form the areas under his control.

  6. The Cabinet notes the decisions made today by the small team of ministers.