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Palestinians: Ceasefire in Israeli hands
A ceasefire between Palestinians and Israelis will materialise if Tel Aviv works in accordance to the road map, a senior Palestinian official has said.
Palestinian Minister of Negotiation Affairs Saib Uraiqat told Aljazeera, talks between the Palestinian Authority and resistance factions were progressing well but it was now up to Israel to follow through on its commitments.
"We call on the Israeli government to go back to talks in order to coordinate and prepare a mutual announcement of a ceasefire, to halt violence against both sides as stated in the road map.
"The road map has stated that the Israeli side must halt its violence against Palestinians everywhere and the Palestinian side should halt violence against the Israelis everywhere," he added.
Israel's commitments
Uraiqat said the ceasefire now depends on Israel's commitments to the road map, which is backed by the UN, the US, the EU and Russia.
He believes the Israeli government has to carry out a series of measures it had adhered to prior to the start of the 28 September 2000 intifada.
"Building work to the apartheid wall needs to be stopped, Palestinian offices in Jerusalem must be re-opened, settlement activities must be ended, Palestinian detainees must be released, checkpoints must be removed and deportees must be returned.
"These commitments are stated in the road map, and in return we [Palestinians] have other commitments that we will also carry out," he added.
"Therefore, Palestinian-Israeli contacts and meetings have to be held, so we can achieve all these matters," he said.
Quartet called on
Uraiqat has called on the UN quartet to participate in the talks and assign observation committees.
"The quartet has a big responsibility in this issue. It should be the judge of whatever happens on the ground, tell the whole world which side is committed to its responsibilities and which is not.
"But unfortunately, the quartet has been completely absent and away from what is happening on the ground.
"That is why we have called on the quartet to reactivate its role in order to guarantee the results that may be reached."
Israeli attack
On Tuesday, more than 40 Israeli military vehicles raided Saida village in the West Bank city of Tulkarim, imposing a curfew on it, Aljazeera's correspondent Muain Shadid reported.
The Israeli forces turned the raided houses and schools into military barracks, he added.
The correspondent said the Israeli army had also deployed explosives experts and military bulldozers in the village, threatening citizens with detonating and demolishing their houses if activists did not turn themselves in.
The occupation forces threatened to demolish houses of Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades activists.
The Israeli army says a large number of wanted activists live in the village.
Heavy military movements have also been carried out at checkpoints set up in the al-Sharawiya area, containing villages and towns north of Tulkarim city, Shadid added.
Aljazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/94E4329E-A02E-415F-A518-2BAEFEB415FE.htm
"We call on the Israeli government to go back to talks in order to coordinate and prepare a mutual announcement of a ceasefire, to halt violence against both sides as stated in the road map.
"The road map has stated that the Israeli side must halt its violence against Palestinians everywhere and the Palestinian side should halt violence against the Israelis everywhere," he added.
Israel's commitments
Uraiqat said the ceasefire now depends on Israel's commitments to the road map, which is backed by the UN, the US, the EU and Russia.
He believes the Israeli government has to carry out a series of measures it had adhered to prior to the start of the 28 September 2000 intifada.
"Building work to the apartheid wall needs to be stopped, Palestinian offices in Jerusalem must be re-opened, settlement activities must be ended, Palestinian detainees must be released, checkpoints must be removed and deportees must be returned.
"These commitments are stated in the road map, and in return we [Palestinians] have other commitments that we will also carry out," he added.
"Therefore, Palestinian-Israeli contacts and meetings have to be held, so we can achieve all these matters," he said.
Quartet called on
Uraiqat has called on the UN quartet to participate in the talks and assign observation committees.
"The quartet has a big responsibility in this issue. It should be the judge of whatever happens on the ground, tell the whole world which side is committed to its responsibilities and which is not.
"But unfortunately, the quartet has been completely absent and away from what is happening on the ground.
"That is why we have called on the quartet to reactivate its role in order to guarantee the results that may be reached."
Israeli attack
On Tuesday, more than 40 Israeli military vehicles raided Saida village in the West Bank city of Tulkarim, imposing a curfew on it, Aljazeera's correspondent Muain Shadid reported.
The Israeli forces turned the raided houses and schools into military barracks, he added.
The correspondent said the Israeli army had also deployed explosives experts and military bulldozers in the village, threatening citizens with detonating and demolishing their houses if activists did not turn themselves in.
The occupation forces threatened to demolish houses of Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades activists.
The Israeli army says a large number of wanted activists live in the village.
Heavy military movements have also been carried out at checkpoints set up in the al-Sharawiya area, containing villages and towns north of Tulkarim city, Shadid added.
Aljazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/94E4329E-A02E-415F-A518-2BAEFEB415FE.htm
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I am not saying that the person supposedly saying this to AJ didn't, only that maybe if these are the conditions somebody ought to tell the Israelis.
The Israelis seem to be under the impression that they have been told that the terms for a temporary cease fire are no raids, and maybe the release of some prisoners. After all, we are supposedly talking just about a "cease fire", not the terms of a final settlement.
By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH
A Kassam rocket was fired into the western Negev late Tuesday night.
It was the first rocket fired into Israel since Palestinian security forces were deployed in northern Gaza last week.
The attack came after a joint security meeting between Israel and PA security officials at the Erez crossing earlier this evening.
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There can be no realistic claims that a peace process in unfolding when even a temporary truce is being broken at the terrorists' whim.
If PA officials indeed are making those additional demands, well, I say they must first prove themselves capable of enforcing the ceace fire. If I were Sharon I'd convey such a message to the PA.