GAZA/ISRAEL: PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI LEADERS PREPARE FOR LATEST ROUND OF PEACE TALKS

Record ID: 400777

  • Title: GAZA/ISRAEL: PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI LEADERS PREPARE FOR LATEST ROUND OF PEACE TALKS
  • Date: 19th November 2003
  • Summary: (W4) GAZA CITY (NOVEMBER 19, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 0.03 2. VARIOUS OF REPORTERS TALKING TO ISMAIL HANIYAH, A SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL 0.07 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL, ISMAIL HANIYAH, SAYING: "Hamas confirms the Palestinian people's right to defend itself against the Isr
  • Embargoed: 4th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GAZA/ TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL
  • City:
  • Country: Gaza Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0RPXYE2KZYTOFEQLSKFJ32FD
  • Story Text: Palestinian and Israeli leaders prepare for peace
    talks


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    Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie met militant
    leaders in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (November 19) to
    push for a ceasefire deal with Israel that could revive a
    U.S.-backed peace plan.

    A week after winning parliamentary backing for his new
    cabinet, Qurie launched talks with five factions, including
    Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the main groups behind suicide
    bombings against Israelis.

    The talks at the Palestinian parliament building in
    Gaza could pave the way for the first summit between Qurie
    and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which Israeli
    officials say is expected to take place in a matter of
    days.

    Efforts to forge a new truce have raised a glimmer of
    hope that a stalled U.S.-sponsored peace "road map" can be
    revived, but officials on both sides say they face numerous
    obstacles and see little chance of a quick breakthrough.

    Militant leaders and Palestinian officials say any
    ceasefire with Israel would depend on Israel making
    guarantees to stop attacks on Palestinians, including
    attempts to kill top militants. One senior Hamas official
    Hamas retained the right to "defend" itself against Israeli
    aggression. "Hamas confirms the Palestinian people's
    right to defend itself against the Israeli aggression, siege,
    assassinations, killings, destruction. Hamas also confirms
    the importance of Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue in order
    to protect Palestinian unity. Hamas also stresses the
    importance of organising the Palestinian house and all
    factions in order to successfully overcome this phase and
    in order to achieve their aim, which is to kick the
    occupier out," said Ismail Haniyah as he arrived for
    Tuesdays meeting.

    Israel offered on Tuesday (November 18) to freeze its
    policy of tracking and killing militant leaders as long as
    there was a complete halt to attacks against Israelis.





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