CABINET COMMUNIQUE: Israel at war against terror lead by Arafat
Thursday, September 19, 2002 11:43 PM

(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

The Cabinet convened this evening (Thursday), 19.9.2002, following the
series of severe terror attacks which have occurred over the last two
days.

Article 44 of Basic Law: The Government applies to the
matters discussed at the meeting.

"Secrecy 44. (a) The debates and decisions of the Government and those of
the Ministerial committees regarding the following matters are secret and
their disclosure and publication is prohibited; and these are the matters:
(1) State security;

(2) Foreign relations of the State;

(3) Matters regarding which the Government deems secrecy to be essential to
the State, a notification thereof having been declared in an order, for the
purposes of this law;

(4) A matter that the Government has decided to keep secret; the disclosure
and publication of such matters is forbidden only to persons who were aware
of the decision.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to matters regarding
which the Government or the Prime Minister, or such persons that the
Government or the Prime Minister have specifically authorized, have
permitted their publication or matters the publication of which is legally
mandatory. "

The Cabinet made operational decisions vis-a-vis counter-terrorist
activity.

Israel is in the midst of a difficult and continuing war against
abominable and brutal terror, which is being led by the Chairman of the
Palestinian Authority, who has established a coalition of terror. This
is a war in which Israel will continue to show determination and stamina
and in which Israel will be victorious.