|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/578290.html
Sharon Okays Gestures to Palestinians Despite Mortar Fire
(Ha'aretz) Aluf Benn and Amos Harel - Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Mofaz Thursday approved a series of gestures to the Palestinians, despite the continued barrage of mortar shells in the Gaza Strip. At a meeting with Mofaz Thursday, senior IDF officers warned that if Israel did not act to strengthen PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, he'll fall. The measures, which will be brought to the cabinet for approval after Sharon returns from the U.S. later this month, involve: freeing an additional 400 Palestinian prisoners, allowing the return of wanted Palestinians deported to Europe following the standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity in 2002, and allowing the return of Palestinians deported from the West Bank to Gaza. The U.S. security coordinator, General William Ward, had pressured Israel to take these steps in recent days. The decision to approve these steps now is also related to Abbas's planned visit to Washington Thursday, in an effort to deflect Abbas's expected complaint to President Bush that Israel is not helping him.