Via the NYT: Israeli and Palestinian Leaders Meet for 1st Time in 4 Years
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority began their meeting in Egypt today, after which they are expected to declare their intention to suspend attacks after four years of conflict.[…]
Israeli and Palestinian officials characterized the actions to be announced in Egypt at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheik as a cease-fire, but there will be no joint declarations or signatures on a document. Mr. Sharon and Mr. Abbas will unilaterally declare their intent to stop attacks, but each will emphasize that progress will depend on steps taken by the other side.
While I am not naive enough to believe that this is guaranteed to be successful or to be angthing other than yet another hiatus in a long-term cycle of violence. Still, it does give one some hope.
It certainly underscores what I have long maintained: that Arafat was a major impediment to any kind of progress in this process.
And, indeed:
Much will depend on the ability of Mr. Abbas to rein in the militant Palestinian factions, particularly Hamas, which has agreed to suspend attacks temporarily but is withholding further comment until after hearing from Mr. Abbas about the Tuesday meeting.
The BBC version of the story notes:
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.
Talking beats bombings and shootings, so here’s hoping serious progress can be acheived.