Sharon talks of 'historic breakthrough' with Palestinians
<< Lets hope this time they get it right and start sorting their differences at a table!>>
Last Updated Fri, 28 Jan 2005 10:06:04 EST
CBC News
JERUSALEM - Palestinian police widened their deployment in the Gaza Strip to try to prevent attacks on Israelis, the latest step towards what Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is calling a possible "historic breakthrough" in relations.
Palestinian police deploy, Khan Younis, Gaza.
Police fanned out into the central and southern parts of Gaza, including the refugee camps of Khan Younis and Rafah where militants have launched hundreds of rocket and mortar attacks at Israeli troops and Jewish settlements.
The camps have been scenes of repeated clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli troops.
Police deployed in northern Gaza last week where there have been few violent incidents since.
FROM JAN. 21, 2005: Palestinian police deployed along Gaza
In response to the deployment, Israel's army chief on Friday ordered his troops to halt operations in all areas of the Gaza Strip where Palestinian police are deployed and to scale them back in the West Bank.
Optimism seems to be running high after Israeli and Palestinian officials met Wednesday for the first negotiations since Sharon cut off talks two weeks ago after a bombing in the Gaza Strip killed six Israelis.
Sharon made the decision to resume diplomatic talks after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began negotiating with militants to halt attacks on Israelis.
On Thursday, the Palestinian leadership banned civilians from carrying weapons.
FROM JAN. 27, 2005: Palestinians ban citizens from carrying weapons
Speaking to a convention of building contractors in Tel Aviv Thursday evening, Sharon praised the Palestinian leadership for its actions.
"I believe that the conditions are now ripe to allow us and the Palestinians to reach a historic breakthrough in the relations between us," he said.
But Abbas suffered a setback Friday when the militant group Hamas won an overwhelming victory in elections for municipal council seats in Gaza.
Hamas won more than 65 per cent of the vote, with 30 per cent going to Fatah, led by Abbas.
Many people are believed to have voted for Hamas in response to widespread government corruption in Fatah, and not to endorse their ideology.
Hamas also made a strong showing in municipal elections in the West Bank this month. |
