Terror ‘Will Only Strengthen Us,’ Israelis Say in Response to PLO Pledge

Israeli leaders, warning that a “return to terror will only strengthen us,” reacted strongly Tuesday to a pledge by Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat to continue fighting alongside Palestinian radicals.

Arafat opened a meeting of the Palestine National Council in Algiers on Monday by reconciling with more-radical Palestinian groups and vowing that he would continue the fight against Israel until there was an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

On Tuesday, the Israel Cabinet held a 2 1/2-hour discussion about the meeting of the PLO’s “parliament in exile.” Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said later: “In my opinion, what happened at the meeting is a disaster to Palestinians. They will pay the price, and we will continue on our way.”

Peres said Jordan now remains as the main supporter of a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

“Whoever wants war will turn to Arafat,” he said. “Whoever wants (peace) talks will turn to Jordan. Whoever wants to live in eternal terror will turn to the PLO. Whoever wants to find another road, the way is in the direction of (Jordan’s King) Hussein.”

Peres vowed that “Jerusalem will remain a special city, the capital of Israel. And if Arafat thinks that by returning to terrorism he threatens us, he is mistaken.

“The return to terror will only unite us and strengthen us. He will bring disaster on the Palestinian people,” Peres said.

Police Minister Chaim Bar-Lev told reporters after the Cabinet meeting, “The Palestine National Council . . . has taken a very wrong decision and if they really carry out the decision, they will pay for it.”

Peres said he does not believe the new developments harm the Middle East peace process.

“What is happening in Algiers was expected by us,” Peres said. “We were not surprised. It does not affect the chances for peace, and we took this into account.

“Arafat and the PLO can’t be part of the peace front, because they are part of a front against peace,” Peres said.

Israeli officials said privately that Arafat does not always follow through on his stated plans.

“Arafat is the most able man in going zig-zag between statements, declarations and actually implementing them,” one official said. “From our experience, we know that we can expect surprises.”

Cabinet ministers also discussed ways of responding to a growing wave of guerrilla attacks in northern Israel and in its self-designated security zone in Lebanon.

The Israeli leaders said pressure from the council meeting led to Sunday’s incursion into Israel of a three-man PLO terrorist squad intent on taking hostages and staging rocket attacks Monday in northern Israel.

But Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin said Israel has no immediate plans to expand its security zone inside Lebanon.