Abbas gets one last chance as talks resume
Israel was giving Mahmoud Abbas one last chance to enforce a ceasefire tonight and decided to resume security talks with the Palestinians – holding off a major military offensive.
The top Palestinian security commander said he will deploy forces on the border with Israel to prevent attacks.
The developments came a day after a Hamas suicide bombing disrupted fledgling efforts by new Palestinian leader Abbas to coax militants into halting their attacks.
Abbas, who is under tremendous pressure from Israel to take action, was meeting with leaders of armed groups in Gaza on today to negotiate a truce.
Israel’s Security Cabinet met to consider military options but in response to a Palestinian request for talks, the ministers decided instead to try to stop the violence in cooperation with Abbas’ forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had cut off contacts with Abbas’ administration after an attack last Thursday on a Gaza crossing point left six Israelis dead. Sharon’s decision drew harsh criticism from world leaders.
The Israeli officials said the security talks were to begin tonight. Palestinian officials said the talks would take place at the Erez checkpoint between Gaza and Israel.
Violence persisted in Gaza through the day.
Militants fired a missile at an Israeli military vehicle near the border, wounding two soldiers.
The latest violence appears to be an attempt by the militants to increase their leverage.
Abbas huddled with his security advisers and commanders in an emergency meeting after the bombing, and later met leaders of the two Islamic groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Lieutenant General Abdel Razek Majaide, the top Palestinian commander in Gaza and the West Bank, said his forces would soon be deployed near the border with Israel.
“Preparations are under way to deploy Palestinian national security soldiers along the borders to stop any sort of violations,” Majaide said. Palestinian militants near the Gaza-Israel border frequently launch rockets into southern Israel.
The Palestinian forces, however, have been decimated by more than four years of fighting with Israel and security officials say they will not be able to be deployed in the area without an Israeli agreement not to target the troops.
Meanwhile, there were signs that Gaza truce talks were making progress and Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath he believed Abbas could negotiate a truce “in a fairly short time.”
Palestinian MP Ziad Abu Amr, a participant in the negotiations, said the sides were making progress. ”Discussions were comprehensive, serious, candid and positive,” he said.
Militants have given mixed signals about their readiness for a truce. The groups have said they will not give up their arms, but have also indicated they will halt the violence if Israel stops attacking them.
“We are going to listen to Abu Mazen regarding all the items, including the ceasefire,” said Mohammed al-Hindi, a leader of Islamic Jihad. But he added: “Nothing can be given for free.”
