Palestinians make Gaza peace overtures, claims Israel
Israeli and Palestinian security officials have begun indirect contacts aimed at ending a major Israeli offensive in northern Gaza.
The claim was made by an Israeli military official today, but immediately denied by the Palestinians.
The Israeli official said the Palestinians delivered messages through mediators, offering to try to prevent rocket fire on Israeli towns if Israel ends the operation, which has left 68 Palestinians dead in six days.
However, Israel appears to be in no rush to end the operation. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said “it will take time until we can be sure that we remove the threat of the rockets.”
A senior Palestinian official said he was unaware of contacts with Israel, which refuses to negotiate directly with the Palestinian Authority.
However, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Monday urged militants “not to give the occupation (Israel) any excuse against us,” – an apparent appeal to stop the rocket fire.
The report of ceasefire contacts came as Palestinians pushed for quick adoption of a UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to the Israeli offensive codenamed Days of Penitence.
Arab nations that introduced the resolution said they want a vote today.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, said another resolution is not the answer, and that the council “acts as the adversary of the Israelis and cheerleader to the Palestinians.”
The Palestinian Authority has complained about what it considers the world’s forgiving response to the unprecedented Gaza raid.
Hundreds of troops are deployed at the northern end of the strip, controlling the towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, as well as the Jebaliya refugee camp, an area with tens of thousands of residents.
The army says the offensive was launched to push rocket launchers back, out of range of Israeli border towns and Jewish settlements. It was triggered by the killing of two Israeli children by Hamas rocket fire last week.
However, the Palestinians say the military has gone much further, destroying dozens of homes, uprooting trees and tearing up roads. Hospital officials say civilians account for nearly half the 68 killed and about 60% of the more than 400 wounded.
The US and the EU have urged restraint by Israel and raised concerns about civilian casualties.
In new fighting today:
:: A Palestinian gunman was killed and three were wounded in an Israeli air force attack in Jebaliya.
:: A 16-year-old Palestinian girl was shot dead near the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza. The army said the girl placed an explosive charge near an Israeli military outpost, and that when she tried to run away, both Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants opened fire in her direction.
:: In the West Bank, Israeli undercover agents raided the city of Ramallah and killed two members of Force 17, a branch of the Palestinians security forces, in a shoot-out.
:: Near the West Bank city of Hebron, a wanted Hamas militant was killed by Israeli troops. The army said the man had opened fire on Israeli soldiers during an arrest operation and was killed by return fire.
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