Palestinians receive American guarantees over peace
Palestine-USA, Politics, 4/12/2004

The Palestinian authority said yesterday that it had received American "Guarantees" not to take any steps that would damage issues relating to the final status in the negotiations with Israel.

Simultaneously, Israeli sources said that Washington will give the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon a written guarantee to that Israel will not be obliged to withdraw from all the West Bank, for an expected withdrawal from Gaza.

The Palestinian negotiations afairs minister Saeb Oreikat said that the American administration notified " us it will not support nor take any step that would undermine final status issues, especially borders, the refugees and Jerusalem." Oreikat added that the matter includes the need that withdrawal from Gaza to be part of the Roadmap.

On the other hand, one Israeli official said that Sharon who will be visiting Washington on Wednesday will give the American President George W. Bush a written commitment in which he will vow to withdraw from Gaza and four settlements in the West Bank.

Meantime, Israeli sources expected Israel to get guarantees- within a message Bush will hand over to Sharon during their meeting in the White House on Wednesday - giving Israel the green light from the USA to disengage with the Palestinians unilaterally.

American sources said last week that " an understanding " was reached with Israel over main aspects in Sharon's plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza after officials close to him said he expects approval to keep parts of the west Bank.

Meantime, the Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath called for explaining the Palestinian position for the US and the Arab states before the exchange of special papers between Israel and the USA concerning the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Shaath numbered matters the Palestinians reject, noting Sharon's threats of mass punishment against the Palestinians and his saying that he keeps his right to invade Gaza whenever he wants.

This, however, coincides at a time when it was announced in Washington that the Palestinian minister will visit the USA later this month after one week of the meeting between the Israeli prime minister and the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the American President at the White House.

Meantime, in the battle field one Palestinian was killed by the Israeli soldiers bullet in Aqraba village near Nablus to the north of the West Bank.

Palestinian medical sources said that the occupation force handed over the body of the " martyr whose identity was not disclosed to a Palestinian medical team and it seemed he was hit in his head."

On saturday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested 11 Palesinians from Ein Beit Maa camp to the west of Nablus and two persons in Bethlehem. The Israeli army said that among the detainees is one of a senior wanted member in Hamas, whose name was not disclosed.

In Gaza, one Palestinian girl called Eiman Tulba in Khan Younis was killed on saturday after she was hit by fires of the Israeli occupation forces, randomly, in al-Amaal quarters in the city.

Previous Stories:
  Washington might award Israel by 5 billion; Shaath: Hamas joining the authority is linked to its commitment to cease fire   (4/9/2004)
  Shaath visits Washington on April 21; 15 Palestinians wounded in protests against the wall   (4/8/2004)
  Okaz: Fattouh criticized the Greater Middle East initiative   (3/15/2004)

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