Ironduke

Palestinian cease-fire talks end with no agreement

CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- An attempt by 13 Palestinian factions to resolve their differences about how to pursue a cease-fire with Israel ended Sunday with no agreement, three Palestinian delegates told CNN.

The heads of delegations representing the factions -- including Hamas and Islamic Jihad -- met for three hours Sunday morning with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Sulaiman, who brokered the four-day talks.

Disagreements centered on objections, primarily from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, over whether to authorize the Palestinian Authority to negotiate on their behalf with the Israelis, and whether any Palestinian commitment to a cease-fire should be made conditional upon Israel doing the same, sources inside the meeting told CNN.

Sulaiman and Qorei insisted they need to show a joint commitment to a cease-fire when discussing the Palestinian position with Israel and the United States.

A delegate for Fatah -- the movement of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat -- told CNN the talks were "like beating a dead horse ... we've been talking for three days and haven't been able to come up with anything."

Hamas representative Mohamed Nazzal told CNN that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and three other Palestinian factions contend that they agreed last June to a comprehensive cease-fire, and that Israel -- continuing its "aggression against the Palestinian people" -- rejected it.

The unilateral cease-fire, which Israel did not join, crumbled in August after just seven weeks. Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Fatah's military offshoot, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, all took part.

At this point, he said, Hamas "will continue the armed struggle," in the form of "comprehensive resistance."

The apparent impasse occurred on the final day of the talks, held in a secret location south of the capital.

Delegates had stayed up until 3 a.m. (8 p.m. Saturday EST) discussing details of a draft communiqué, and had agreed to halt attacks against Israelis inside Israel, but not against Israeli settlers or soldiers in Palestinian areas such as East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.

In Jerusalem, Ra'anan Gissin, the senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, dismissed the draft communiqué as an empty compromise.

"You know there's no halfway cease-fire," he told CNN. "Either you cease fire, the complete cessation of violence, terrorism, of incitement in that period, so we can move forward on the road map to peace."

Egyptian delegates put enormous pressure on the Palestinian factions to emerge from the meeting with an agreement that Cairo can present to the United States, one of the backers of the so-called "road map," along with Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.

The peace plan calls for steps on both sides to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state by 2005.

Representatives from Hamas -- an Islamic fundamentalist group whose military wing has claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians -- said the only way to liberate Palestinian territories from Israeli control is through some form of resistance.

Hamas and other groups that question the viability of a comprehensive truce have said they are willing to discuss ceasing attacks in Israel proper but not against settlers and soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza.

The groups questioning a comprehensive truce said they might consider such a wide-ranging cease-fire, provided they learn what steps Israel would be willing to take.

Sources said Hamas could be taking a hard-line approach in order to negotiate concessions from the United States, which froze the group's funds in August.

Arafat's Fatah faction wants a mutual, comprehensive truce with Israel on the condition that Israel halt raids on Palestinians and begin implementation of the road map.

The Israeli military has been targeting Palestinians it says are involved in attacks on Israeli civilians.

Some of the proposed conditions of a comprehensive truce include Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian communities reoccupied by Israel since September of 2000, the halting of Jewish settlement activity in Palestinian territories, and easing restrictions on Palestinians.

Such a wide-ranging truce also would involve the cessation of attacks against all Israelis in and outside Israel.

Preparations for Israeli-Palestinian meeting
Senior Palestinian and Israeli officials met Sunday evening to prepare for an upcoming planned meeting between Sharon and Qorei.

The head of Qorei's office, Hassan Abu Libdeh, met for two hours with his Israeli counterpart, Dov Weisglass, the director of Sharon's office, to continue preparations for the meeting, Sharon's office said.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat and Sharon's political adviser, Shalom Tujerman, were also present, Sharon's office said.

The meeting lasted two hours and was conducted in a good atmosphere, Sharon's office said, adding that the two sides agreed to meet again to coordinate the final details of the planned meeting.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/...ast/index.html

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The Buck Stops Here

Lunatock

Thats really not suprising.

And in other news. Ariel Sharon's claim that Jewish Settlements would be moved, was called "just for show" By Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

bigross86

And in other news: Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat is an idiot.

__________________
You're a naughty girl, go to my room!

Praxus

And in even more news: Thats not news to anyone:D

eMGee

... I am... shocked!

:LOL


(Great opportunity to test these smileys!)

ChrisF202

wow .. I did not know that :D, how dare he say Sharon's moves are for the show when he says one thing in English and another in Arabic.

bigross86

Screw it, it's not anything we're not used to by now.

eMGee

It must be tough living in Israel.

I hate how our governments here in Europe (where I'm from) are so anti-Israel

bigross86

Yeah, it is tough. But it's the only place we got. And I'm sure as hell not leaving. I'm joining the Army soon to fight for my country

Lunatock

Must be tougher for your enemies. Who've never been able to drive you into the sea.

And at least in part, to Jerusalem. A city Islam's founder, Mohammed (pbuh) didn't say it was vital in his last Sermon.

"Without Mecca Medina is incomplete. And without Medina Mecca is incomplete. Without either, Islam is incomplete."

No mention of Jerusalem. Probably a desire to visit it at least once. But nothing was said about having to control it.

ChrisF202

Arent you in the Civil Defense Corps?

Lunatock

Think that thier anti-Israel/open door policy to Arab immigrants, may end up biting them in the ass?

Like KSA's support of Al-Qaeda did?

bigross86

I am, but basically all we ever do is walk around the strees patrolling buses. If all out war came, we'd be way down on the list to be called.

eMGee

This must be a rhetorical question! :D

Lunatock

Not asking anyone to count the ways. Just asking if they think Europe will regret it. :lol