(Ha'aretz) Aluf Benn and Arnon Regular - Sources in Sharon's office said that his earlier promises to meet very soon with Qurei were made before the power struggle between Qurei and Arafat ended with Arafat asserting control over the security services through the PA National Security Council. "The Palestinians have gone backward," said a government source. "We want to proceed but the new PA government doesn't even resemble the last government headed by Mahmoud Abbas." Israel refuses to engage in any cease-fire with the armed factions, nor does it want a formal cease-fire with the PA, but it is proposing a lull of a few weeks during which Israel will avoid harsh military actions - except in the case of ticking bombs - and it will grant the PA a "grace period" during which the PA can start dismantling the terror infrastructure.
2003-11-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive