Mideast conference 'omits militant attacks'
The final statement to be issued at the Middle East conference in London on Palestinian reform will omit a reference to combating militants, an Israeli newspaper reported today.
The Palestinians persuaded the British hosts of the conference to leave out any mention of a Palestinian commitment to stop rocket fire at Israel or end militant attacks, according to the Haaretz daily, which said it obtained an advance copy of the document.
Top international officials are gathering at a conference in London today to pledge the world community’s support in reforming the Palestinians’ political, financial and security institutions.
Israel is not taking part in the conference.
According to Haaretz the Palestinians only mention their security commitments in vague terms, committing to a policy ”that creates conditions conducive to the peace process with the immediate objective of restoring internal law and order and preventing violence”.
Cracking down on Palestinian militants is a key Israeli demand for pushing forward with the peace process.
The British rejected Israeli reservations to the draft summary, Haaretz said, instead promising that British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would refer to the need to dismantle the Palestinian militant groups in their speeches.
In return for Palestinian reforms, the US is expected to agree to head a new security group to help streamline the Palestinians’ tangled and competing security services.
The European Commission and World Bank would help oversee reforms of the Palestinian economy and institutions.
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