U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield called Israel's takeover of the Palestinian headquarters a "political escalation'' and urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint. Satterfield was due to meet with Sharon today to discuss ways to implement the Mitchell Committee's recommendations for ending violence and return to negotiations. His visit will reportedly focus on Israel's takeover of the Orient House, which United States officials believe could impede movement toward implementation of a cease-fire.

King Abdullah of Jordan criticized the Israeli move, reportedly telling Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat by phone Saturday that it represent a "flagrant aggression [sic] on Palestinian rights and the Arab identity of Jerusalem,'' according to the Jordanian news service Petra. Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher condemned the seizure, calling it "provocative'' and saying Israel should withdraw.

Arafat aide Ahmed Abdel Rahman told Reuters that the "Israeli occupation of Orient House aims to destroy all agreements signed since 1993." Abdel Rahman added, "The Palestinian people are left without choice but to escalate resistance and Intifada to liberate holy Jerusalem and regain the Orient House and other Palestinian institutions occupied by Israel."

An official Palestinian statement considered "the occupation of the Orient House and the removal of the Palestinian flag as the most impudent manifestation of force." Arafat said the takeover of the Orient House violated previous Israeli assurances that Palestinian institutions in the eastern half of Jerusalem would not be harmed. Arafat reportedly distributed a copy of a 1993 letter written by Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres to the Norwegian prime minister stating such a promise.

Israeli officials quickly dismissed the letter, saying that Israel was no longer bound by that promise because the Orient House was not being used for its original intention of serving as a cultural and social center. They pointed out that Arafat and the Palestinian Authority had violated their basic commitments to end violence and to prevent terrorism.

West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti told ynet that the closing of the Orient House was "a bomb dropped by Sharon, and its shrapnel injured the Muslim world." Former Justice Minister Yossi Beilin (Labor) called on the government to vacate the Orient House before it became "the fourth holiest site in Islam."

Sharon: Orient House will never again serve Palestinian political purposes
Prime Minister Sharon stated that Israeli forces would remain in the Orient House "forever," and that the building would never again serve Palestinian political purposes. "The Orient House will never open again," Sharon declared. "We have reestablished our sovereignty over the city of Jerusalem," he added.

Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau (Likud) strongly defended the Orient House takeover, saying that he had been pushing for such a move for years. "From the moment that we start enforcing the law in Jerusalem, and prevent the raising of the Palestinian flag and processions in our streets, we can begin, slowly, to reduce terror," he said.

Israeli officials reported that weapons were discovered in the Orient House and Abu Dis facilities, including semi-automatic weapons and a pipe bomb. Israeli television screened clips showing several pistols and rifles.

Speaking today to Army Radio, Landau said, "When we leave this place, if we leave, the activities there will continue to be in line with Israeli law." Landau dismissed world criticism of the Israeli move. "Everything we do that is a serious response and makes the Palestinians pay a heavy price will lead to criticism from many places. But it's about time we stopped listening to the criticism and started showing concern for the security of our citizens," Landau said.

The Israeli media cited security sources who believed that the Israeli police presence in the Orient House would likely end soon, as the building is private property. The Orient House's attorneys are considering lodging a petition with the Israeli High Court, but media commentators suggested that they would choose to refrain from doing so, as the move would imply that Israeli judicial authority covered the eastern half of Jerusalem.

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