Hamas bomb explosion in Gaza; Sharon accepts the Roadmap
Palestine-Israel, Military, 5/24/2003

Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon has announced that Israel is ready to approve the Roadmap for peace in the Middle East under the condition to be approved by the Cabinet, due to meet tomorrow, Sunday.

Diplomatic sources said that Sharon related his consent to Israel having a package of American assurances dealing with Israel's reservations on the Roadmap.

The Israeli approval came after the US secretary of state Colin Powell had stated he expects a quick Israeli answer on an American commitment to deal with the Israeli fears concerning the Roadmap. However, Powell said that Washington's commitment to dealing with these fears does not mean it will amend the Roadmap itself.

In a joint press conference with his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin in Paris, Powell said, the US has informed the Israeli government that the US will take their comments into account and deal with it fully and seriously and the US will proceed into implementing the Roadmap, but that does not require changing it.

According to Israeli sources, the administration of President George W. Bush initially agreed to 12 remarks out of 14 proposed about the plan while it rejected two Israeli conditions, one stating that the Palestinians give up their right to return and the second is the establishment of a Palestinian state.

For his part, the Palestinian minister of information stressed the readiness of the Palestinians to implement needed obligations concerning the Roadmap. In a press statement, he said that the Palestinians have assurances from the American administration and the Quartet not to accept any Israeli reservations. He added "we will not accept the Israeli conditions and we do hope Washington will abide by its obligations." The Palestinians had approved the Roadmap which was disclosed by the US on last April 30 but Israel refrained under the pretext of security reasons.

Meantime, Ezz Eddine al-Qassam group, the military wing of the Islamic resistance movement ( Hamas ) claimed responsibility for an attack which targeted an Israeli military coach carrying Israelis in Gaza, that resulted according to preliminary information in wounding several passengers.

A bomb went off near an Israeli bus under military guarding on its way from al-Mintar crossing ( Carni) -- the trade crossing which links Gaza to Israel -- to Natsareim settlement in the downtown of Gaza, with 15 passengers in it.

News reports said that the explosion resulted in wounding four settlers. The news added that al-Qassam groups claimed responsibility for the attack during a move by the movement at Jabalia camp for the Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

This attack, however, is considered the fifth for Hamas within one week. It comes just one day after the meeting between the Palestinian prime minister with the Hamas movement's leaders in Gaza, as he was trying to convince it to halt its military operations against the occupation for one year.

Through his agreement with Palestinian resistance groups, Abu Mazin seeks to give a chance for the Roadmap, whose first item states to halt the Palestinian Intifada.

Hamas says it is ready to halt its operations against the Israeli occupation forces under the conditions that these Israeli forces will halt operations against the civilian Palestinians and the incursions and assassination operations and also to release the Palestinian detainees.

Meantime, a ( 17 year old) Palestinian was strongly injured when Israeli forces opened fire at him upon breaking into Toulkarem refugees for the Palestinian refugees to the north of the West Bank. The Israeli forces also detained 20 Palestinians during breaking in operations in the West Bank.

Previous Stories:
  Some 624 Palestinian houses; Israeli helicopter crashed, One Palestinian killed   (5/23/2003)
  Two Palestinians killed, Israel reoccupied Beit Hanoun; Abu Mazen to visit Washington, Sharon to follow   (5/22/2003)
  Oreikat resigns on the wake of Abu Mazin - Sharon meeting   (5/17/2003)
  Powell calls for honoring living conditions of Palestinians, Sharon calls on Abbas to fight Intifada, one Palestinian killed   (5/12/2003)
  Palestinian official statement on the Road Map   (5/12/2003)

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