Israelis and Palestinians resume talks
Israel and the Palestinians are resuming top-level security talks despite a bloody week of bombings and missile strikes that left 60 people dead on both sides, officials said today.
On the table is a proposal that Israel withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip, to positions held before the outbreak of fighting in September 2000, officials on both sides said.
Israel also offered to halt military operations for three days to improve the atmosphere, a senior Palestinian official said.
Raanan Gissin, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz would meet later today with Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan.
However, Israel Radio said the meeting would be held between Dahlan and Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli defence official.
It would be the first high-level meeting since US President George Bush launched the “road map” peace plan at a Mideast summit last week.
The security talks would coincide with the arrival of the first contingent of US monitors who are to supervise implementation of the peace plan. The team of 10 to 15 CIA and State Department officials is headed by John Wolf, an assistant secretary of state.
Under the peace plan, Israel is to withdraw gradually from territory it reoccupied in the past 32 months of fighting, while the Palestinians are required to dismantle militias, including Hamas.
However, Hamas broke off truce talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas last week, and violence has only escalated, with 36 Palestinians and 24 Israelis killed since the Mideast summit.
Israel carried out seven missile strikes against Hamas targets, including a failed attempt on the life of a Hamas leader, Abdel Aziz Rantisi. Hamas blew up a Jerusalem bus to avenge Rantisi, and carried out a number of other attacks.
Israel has also said it is widening its campaign against Hamas and will target top leaders, among them Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin, in addition to members of the military wing.
Despite the deterioration, behind-the-scenes contacts continued in recent days. The United States and Egypt stepped up mediation efforts, while Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad talked by phone to Dov Weisglass, a senior Sharon aide.
Palestinian leaders and security officials met late Friday and again this morning to discuss a proposed Israeli pullback, and said they were willing to take over areas from which Israel withdraws.
