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Just months after the death of Arafat the Palestinian Authority and Israel announce a ceasefire and a defacto end of the second intifada.
The agreement announces an end of act of violence from the palestinians and an end to all military actions by the israelis towards the palestinians.
Lets hope both sides can reign in their lunatics, maybe then we can all start the process of healing.
The following article is from Haaretz.
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SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Speaking at the close of a day-long summit in the Red Sea resort town, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Tuesday, echoing the words of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, announced an agreement to end Palestinian acts of violence and all Israeli military action against Palestinians.
Speaking moments earlier, Abbas declared that the PA and Israel have agreed "to cease all acts of violence."
"We have agreed with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
to cease all acts of violence against the Israelis and the
Palestinians wherever they are," Abbas said in a statement at the completion of the summit.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is expected to make a similar declaration during his address at the press conference that marks the end of the summit.
Earlier, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told reporters that he welcomes the "determination and willingness" of both sides.
"We have seen today a positive step... the determination and willingness [of Israel and the Palestinian Authority] to work together seriously and sincrerely to implemenet their mutual obligations, and take required measures to restore confidence," Mubarak told reporters in the Red Sea resort town.
Following a short delay, Sharon and Abbas held talks at the summit; television pictures showed the two smiling and
shaking hands across the table.
Also present were Mubarak, the initiator and host of the summit and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
The prime minister first met with Mubarak, for the first time since Sharon's election in 2001, and later met with Abbas. (Click here for scheduled timetable of events)
Sharon also invited Mubarak and Abdullah to visit Israel. According to Israel Radio, both leaders accepted the invitation.
According to Israeli sources, Abbas will announce a cease-fire at the summit, while Sharon will promise to end Israeli military operations in the territories if the Palestinian violence stops. The two sides have been discussing the new security arrangements to be announced at the summit for the past few weeks.
"Today must signal a new beginning between Israelis and Palestinians," Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat told Army Radio on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sharon said each side would make a separate declaration of an end to violence rather than signing a written cease-fire agreement.
"It's a message of hope for the future. lets turn a new leaf," said Ra'anan Gissin.
Sharon was to speak of the importance of not missing the opportunity that has been created, call for "deeds, not words" in the war on terror and reiterate Israel's commitment to the road map peace plan. He was also to emphasize his determination to carry out the disengagement plan, but say that Israel is interested in coordinating it with the Palestinians.
He was also to express the hope that if the disengagement passes peacefully, it could serve to "jump start" the road map. Finally, he was to detail Israel's planned goodwill gestures to the Palestinians, such as the release of 900 prisoners.
Abbas was to reiterate his declaration from the 2003 Aqaba Summit about the need for the PA to have a monopoly on armed force within its territory. He was also to express his hope that the current Israeli-Palestinian dialogue will lead to implementation of the road map, while warning that many thorny issues, such as the separation fence and the settlements, remain to be addressed in the future.
The four leaders were to hold a press conference after their meeting at which each will deliver a speech, but to avoid the emergence of public disagreements, they will not take questions from reporters. The press conference was to be followed by a luncheon for the leaders and their entourages.
Sharon, on his first visit to Egypt since being elected, was also to meet separately with Mubarak during the summit.
On Monday, the Israeli and Palestinian teams exchanged copies of Sharon's and Abbas' speeches and tried to soften controversial passages.
While the summit is taking place, Egyptian security officials will continue a round of talks in the territories with Palestinian security officials and the heads of the Palestinian militias in an effort to finalize the cease-fire arrangements.
In Israel, police stepped up the alert level throughout the country Tuesday morning, due to numerous intelligence warnings of possible attempts by terrorists to disrupt the summit with an attack inside Israel. Police also beefed up their deployment and established mobile checkpoints on various roads.
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The agreement announces an end of act of violence from the palestinians and an end to all military actions by the israelis towards the palestinians.
Lets hope both sides can reign in their lunatics, maybe then we can all start the process of healing.
The following article is from Haaretz.
__________________________
SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Speaking at the close of a day-long summit in the Red Sea resort town, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Tuesday, echoing the words of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, announced an agreement to end Palestinian acts of violence and all Israeli military action against Palestinians.
Speaking moments earlier, Abbas declared that the PA and Israel have agreed "to cease all acts of violence."
"We have agreed with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
to cease all acts of violence against the Israelis and the
Palestinians wherever they are," Abbas said in a statement at the completion of the summit.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is expected to make a similar declaration during his address at the press conference that marks the end of the summit.
Earlier, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told reporters that he welcomes the "determination and willingness" of both sides.
"We have seen today a positive step... the determination and willingness [of Israel and the Palestinian Authority] to work together seriously and sincrerely to implemenet their mutual obligations, and take required measures to restore confidence," Mubarak told reporters in the Red Sea resort town.
Following a short delay, Sharon and Abbas held talks at the summit; television pictures showed the two smiling and
shaking hands across the table.
Also present were Mubarak, the initiator and host of the summit and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
The prime minister first met with Mubarak, for the first time since Sharon's election in 2001, and later met with Abbas. (Click here for scheduled timetable of events)
Sharon also invited Mubarak and Abdullah to visit Israel. According to Israel Radio, both leaders accepted the invitation.
According to Israeli sources, Abbas will announce a cease-fire at the summit, while Sharon will promise to end Israeli military operations in the territories if the Palestinian violence stops. The two sides have been discussing the new security arrangements to be announced at the summit for the past few weeks.
"Today must signal a new beginning between Israelis and Palestinians," Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat told Army Radio on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sharon said each side would make a separate declaration of an end to violence rather than signing a written cease-fire agreement.
"It's a message of hope for the future. lets turn a new leaf," said Ra'anan Gissin.
Sharon was to speak of the importance of not missing the opportunity that has been created, call for "deeds, not words" in the war on terror and reiterate Israel's commitment to the road map peace plan. He was also to emphasize his determination to carry out the disengagement plan, but say that Israel is interested in coordinating it with the Palestinians.
He was also to express the hope that if the disengagement passes peacefully, it could serve to "jump start" the road map. Finally, he was to detail Israel's planned goodwill gestures to the Palestinians, such as the release of 900 prisoners.
Abbas was to reiterate his declaration from the 2003 Aqaba Summit about the need for the PA to have a monopoly on armed force within its territory. He was also to express his hope that the current Israeli-Palestinian dialogue will lead to implementation of the road map, while warning that many thorny issues, such as the separation fence and the settlements, remain to be addressed in the future.
The four leaders were to hold a press conference after their meeting at which each will deliver a speech, but to avoid the emergence of public disagreements, they will not take questions from reporters. The press conference was to be followed by a luncheon for the leaders and their entourages.
Sharon, on his first visit to Egypt since being elected, was also to meet separately with Mubarak during the summit.
On Monday, the Israeli and Palestinian teams exchanged copies of Sharon's and Abbas' speeches and tried to soften controversial passages.
While the summit is taking place, Egyptian security officials will continue a round of talks in the territories with Palestinian security officials and the heads of the Palestinian militias in an effort to finalize the cease-fire arrangements.
In Israel, police stepped up the alert level throughout the country Tuesday morning, due to numerous intelligence warnings of possible attempts by terrorists to disrupt the summit with an attack inside Israel. Police also beefed up their deployment and established mobile checkpoints on various roads.
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