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| Israel-Palestine |
| Mid-East ceasefire is announced |
| 2005-02-08 |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have declared a truce to end four years of Middle East violence. Mr Abbas said the ceasefire, which starts immediately, would lead to a "new era of peace and hope". The announcement was made at historic talks in Egypt, the highest level since the Palestinian intifada began in 2000. The talks are also being attended by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah. TV pictures showed Mr Abbas and Mr Sharon smiling as they shook hands across a table at the talks. The Palestinians, Mr Gissin told Reuters news agency, would effectively announce the "cessation of the... intifada". For its part, Israel would declare it would "refrain from any military action providing there would be peace and quiet on the ground", said Mr Gissin, an adviser to the Israeli prime minister. A package of measures to ease restrictions on the Palestinians would also be revealed, he said. Saeb Erekat, also speaking to Reuters, said there would be a "mutual declaration of cessation of violence against each other". He anticipated the establishment of joint committees to oversee the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian areas of the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zahar suggested the organisation would take no decision before hearing from Mr Abbas on the outcome of the summit. "We agreed before with Mahmoud Abbas that if he succeeds to achieve our national goals, he should come back to the Palestinian factions to discuss the issue, and after that we will decide our stand," he said. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #6 This is only a first little baby step - almost microscopic - with thousands of giant steps necessary to follow. Although one cannot say it is meaningless, no one in America should over hype this joint declaration of a truce to end four years of Middle East violence. Rather it is an obvious opportunity to change policy. |
| Posted by: Rock 2005-02-08 4:20:31 PM |
| #5 1. I was initially skeptical about Condi as Sec of State. I must admit, shes doing well so far. 2. I would like to think Arafat is watching this, and suffering. 3. I wanted to post to LGF and ask them why israel insider no longer posts terr incidents. It relates peripherally to a side bet i had with someone there. It seems unregistered folks cant comment anymore. Theyre fairly morose over there, not surprisingly. But not as morose as the anti-Israel lefties, I think. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2005-02-08 2:34:26 PM |
| #4 Good for her! But she did allow herself to be photographed in front of a picture of the Fish, and that has gotten several regular posters at LGF riled up. |
| Posted by: Anonymous7001 2005-02-08 1:54:48 PM |
| #3 Is it cold today in hell, Yasser? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-08 11:33:11 AM |
| #2 Mid-East Ceasefire announced, in other news: Blizzards sweep Holy Land Coincidence? |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-02-08 11:25:30 AM |
| #1 Looks like our "unqualified" Secretary of State Rice has struck again. Ted Kennedy will no doubt announce that the US must immediately leave Israel and the Palestinian territories or it will cause 50,000 Americans soldiers to be killed and result in "another Vietnam Quagmire". |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-02-08 8:29:50 AM |