ISRAEL - Bans Arafat from using Gaza airport

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Israel bans Arafat from using Gaza airport

JERUSALEM, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Israel banned Palestinian President Yasser Arafat from using Gaza international airport in a first step in a series of retaliatory measures for the assassination of a far-right cabinet minister on Wednesday.

An Israeli security source confirmed the decision to Reuters. Israel's inner cabinet was due to meet at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) to discuss further retaliation for the killing of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi at a Jerusalem hotel.

The source said the ban did not prevent Arafat leaving the Gaza Strip but would make travelling more difficult for the Palestinian leader, whom Israel has blamed for Zeevi's killing.

The Palestinian Authority rejected Israel's accusation that its failure to crack down on militants had led to Zeevi's killing. A Palestinian official said Arafat had issued orders to find those responsible for the assassination.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said it had killed Zeevi in retaliation for the killing of its leader Abu Ali Mustafa in August. He was the most senior Palestinian to be assassinated under an Israeli policy of hunting down and killing militants it says are behind attacks against Israelis.

((Jerusalem newsroom, 972-2-537-0502, jerusalem.newsroom@reuters.com))

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2001


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