ISRAEL/GAZA: RENEWED HOPES THAT FRAGILE TRUCE BETWEEN PALESTINIAN MILITANTS AND ISRAEL CAN HOLD

Record ID: 400562

  • Title: ISRAEL/GAZA: RENEWED HOPES THAT FRAGILE TRUCE BETWEEN PALESTINIAN MILITANTS AND ISRAEL CAN HOLD
  • Date: 23rd January 2005
  • Summary: (BN09) SDEROT, ISRAEL (JANUARY 23, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV DEMONSTRATION BY SDEROT RESIDENTS WHO WANT ISRAEL TO TAKE TOUGH ACTION AGAINST GAZA MILITANTS WHO FIRE ROCKETS AT TOWN (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. CU PROTESTERS CARRYING POSTER OF ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON 0.14 3. SV SECURITY GUARDS IN FRONT OF DEMO 0.18 4. SV
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SDEROT AND SEGEV SHALOM, ISRAEL/ KHAN YOUNIS AND BEIT HANOUN, BEIT LAHIYA, GAZA
  • City:
  • Country: Gaza Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVA8NZ21GT0KKUKD69L0YKB247D7
  • Story Text: Renewed hopes that fragile truce between Palestinian
    militants and Israel can hold.



    There were renewed hopes on Sunday (January 23) that
    a fragile, unofficial ceasefire between Palestinian
    militants and Israel was holding.

    But Israeli protesters staged a demonstration demanding
    tougher action from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon against
    Palestinians blamed for rocket attacks.

    Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said he believed
    militants had agreed a truce but the armed factions denied
    that was the case.

    However, violence has subsided, especially since new
    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu
    Mazen, deployed hundreds of paramilitary security forces
    with orders to prevent militant attacks on Israelis.

    In a further show of a changing situation in the
    region, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon took his
    cabinet to the target town of Sderot on Sunday (January 23).

    The southern Israeli town was frequently hit by rocket
    fire from nearby Gaza up until a few days ago.

    However, Sharon warned if rocket fire from Gaza
    militants resumes, Israel will use all means to stop them.

    And he said it was unclear whether or not there was a
    "real change".

    "After a long period of Palestinian terror and
    intensive action on the part of our security forces against
    terrorism, there is now quiet. We do not know whether a
    real change has occurred in the situation. We hope so,"
    Sharon told his cabinet ministers at the meeting convened
    under heavy security.

    Mahmoud Abbas revived hopes for Middle East peacemaking
    after winning the presidential election earlier this month.

    Since his victory he has met militants to get them to call
    off a four-year-old armed revolt so he can negotiate for a
    state in Israeli-occupied territories.

    Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Abbas was
    proving to be a man of his word.

    "He has shown himself as a serious man, that his word
    is a word, that his intentions are serious, that his acts
    are accordingly. And it's a very pleasant development, a
    very important one," Peres said.

    Israel's Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz had said that he
    understood Abbas had reached an agreement with Hamas and
    Islamic Jihad for a month-long truce in return for a future
    role in Palestinian Authority government.

    Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied having formally
    committed to a truce but said they were prepared for
    restraint if there was a prior cessation of "aggression" by
    Israel, an allusion to air strikes and incursions to kill
    or capture wanted men.

    Militant leaders indicated the quiet would continue
    during "national unity" dialogue with Abbas expected to go
    on for about a month, when a firm decision about a truce
    could be reached.

    As members of the al-Aqsa militant group trained for
    possible attacks against Israelis, one of its members told
    Reuters they would also accept a truce but only if peace
    was maintained by both sides.

    "We said in all honesty our position is with the
    historic position and we are for the truce but it's
    conditional from both sides, not just the Palestinian but
    the Palestinian and Israeli."
    Several dozen uniformed Palestinian security forces are
    on duty in the northern Gaza Strip towns of Beit Hanoun and
    Beit Lahiya with the aim of stopping militant attacks on
    Israelis. Residents showed their support by delivering food and drinks
    to the forces, who are a welcome site for most
    residents used to masked gunmen in their streets.



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