Israel has pressed the Palestinian Authority to rein in those opposed to peace talks. The source at the prime ministerâs office said Israel had agreed to give the Palestinians three weeks to organize forces for a crackdown on militants. Palestinian officials did not immediately comment on the offer. But the Palestinian Authority has long demanded Israel end its assassinations, which bolster militants.
| But weed out the upper ranks... |
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas fears a crackdown on militants could spark a civil war and would prefer to pursue a truce. But after meeting Powell on Friday, Abbas said cease-fire talks with militant groups led by Hamas would come to nothing unless Israel halted incursions and blockades.
| So stop giving them reasons... |
Israel rejected Abbasâ approach. âA truce is in itself a ticking bomb, so it cannot last in the long run,â Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio. âThere cannot be a situation where the Palestinian extremists decide when this ticking bomb becomes a live and real bomb.â Militant groups have yet to decide on a truce. âI think the dialogue (with these groups) is over... We are waiting for the results, for (their) response,â Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr said. |