Powell calls for honoring living conditions of Palestinians, Sharon calls on Abbas to fight Intifada, one Palestinian killed
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/12/2003

The occupation forces bombarded Palestinian positions and houses to the east of the Israeli settlement of Beit Hanoun to the North of Gaza and launched a campaign of detention in Jenin, while one Israeli settler was killed yesterday morning near Ofra settlement to the North of Ramullah when fire was lunched at his car.

Al-Aqsa martyrs groups of the Fatah movement and groups of Martyrs Jamal Jibril of the "people's front for the liberation of Palestine, general command," claimed responsibility for attacking a car for the settlers to the north of Ramullah and this resulted in killing the settler.

Meantime, the Hamas movement claimed responsibility for firing 4 mortars at Neve Dekalim settlement that resulted in wounding two Israelis, according to Israeli occupation sources.

While the Israeli defense minister stressed that Israel will fight by all means the organizations which he described as opposed to the "roadmap" and that no agreement will be maintained with the new Palestinian government unless it proves its ability to control these organizations.

Meantime, US secretary of state Colin Powell met with the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon in an attempt to revive negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Powell urged Sharon and the Israeli government to take steps in order to alleviate the military siege imposed on the Palestinian cities and towns. He said in a joint press conference he had held with Sharon. The Israeli government has to seize the current opportunity and carry out practical steps on the ground in order to move forward.

Powell described what he called the humanitarian measures towards the Palestinians proposed to him by Sharon as very useful, but has not disclosed its content.

Powell also welcomed the positive political steps carried out by the Palestinian officials in the framework of what he called the reform process and establishing peace but he urged them to proceed forward in order to dismantle the weapons of the Palestinian national resistance.

Sharon announced that Israel will not give what he described as concessions in the security field. He said It is not possible to give any concessions or settlement now or in the future when the matter relates to security.

Sharon called on the prime minister in the Palestinian authority to launch a real war against the Palestinian national resistance considering that this war is the key for any progress towards peace, as he alleged.

Powell also met with the Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas in Areiha city. In a press conference with Abbas, Powell called on Israel to take steps to alleviate difficulties the Palestinians face in their daily life.

Powell said he had informed Sharon and his government on the need of improving the daily life conditions for the Palestinians and honoring their dignity.

He considered that conditions are complete for immediate implementation of the "roadmap" despite the fact where admitted that comments are still awaited for from the Israeli side on the "roadmap."

Abbas said that the Palestinians are looking for Israel's halt of the policies of settlements, besiege, assassination acts, destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure as well as releasing of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. He said he handed over Powell a message from the families of the Palestinian detainees in the Israeli jails.

Abbas warned that Israel will deal "selectively" with the "roadmap" or its components to be dismembered. He explained that the Palestinian authority expects the Israeli side to abide by its own obligations necessitated by the "roadmap," noting that the PA is ready to implement its obligations sincerely, stressing readiness "to read the statement included in the roadmap at the time and hour Sharon when reads this statement."

Previous Stories:
  Six Palestinians killed by Israel; Palestinian blows up himself at an Israeli check point   (5/9/2003)
  Sharon renews rejection of 'right of return' to Palestinians, Katsav for more settlers, continued aggressions   (5/7/2003)
  Israeli detention operations, PA calls for implementing Road Map, Sharon to visit Washington   (5/5/2003)

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