Egyptian mediation extracts a silent consent from Hamas on a Truce
Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 6/17/2003

The attempts to reach a "truce" between the Palestinian groups and Israel reached its peak yesterday with the success of the Egyptian delegation in getting a silent approval from Hamas to halt its military operations.

This success came after the Egyptians discussed an "Israeli commitment" with American consent to halt the acts of assassinations for at least 6 months and the Israeli forces starting withdrawal from positions it had occupied after the eruption of the Intifada.

The America moves have intensified recently in more than one direction and channel.

The director of Sharon's office Don Visvlas arrived in Washington and held talks with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. The chief of the American teams on monitoring events in the occupied territories John Wolf started his activity in Tel Aviv and Ramullah. The decisive round of meetings which were held by the Egyptian delegation led by Lt. Gen. Mussstafa al-Buheiri with representatives of Palestinian organizations in Gaza was completed.

The Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Gaza to complete the meetings with the representatives of Hamas and other groups. No less of all these, that the Americans got an official Palestinian consent to assume security measures in northern Gaza and Bethlehem as a step to have the security responsibility in other area.

The US had strongly pushed all sides to give up their former positions and to proceed towards a truce.

Meantime, Egyptian observers are existed on the ground to help in halting military activities to the north of Gaza in the first phase.

Within six months, the first phase of the Roadmap will be implemented. This plan requires the withdrawal of the Israeli forces until September, 2000 border lines. meantime, negotiations are to be held simultaneously to implement the second phase of the plan to found the interim Palestinian state.

Previous Stories:
  Ashrawy meets Moussa, Al Baz   (6/16/2003)
  Egyptian delegation arrives in Gaza soon   (6/16/2003)
  Mubarak for halting deteriorations in Palestinian territories   (6/16/2003)

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