The Palestinian Authority is ready to immediately resume negotiations with Israel, based on the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative, and the findings of the Mitchell Committee, a top Palestinian official said.
Head of the Palestinian Preventive Security in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Dahlan, was quoted by Haaretz newspaper as saying that the "PA is ready for a cease-fire, on condition that Israel stop expanding settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip."
Dahlan was speaking following a meeting with a group of Knesset members from the left-wing Meretz party.
Earlier in the day, former Israeli justice minister, Yossi Beilin, met with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Gaza.
Beilin's talks aimed at promoting the Egyptian-Jordanian peace initiative and the implementation of the Mitchell report on Israeli-Palestinian "violence," said the paper.
Before entering Gaza, Beilin said that the "nightmare" of the murder of innocent people would only end once dialogue between the sides was renewed.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has strongly criticized Beilin for "turning into a lobbyist for the Palestinian Authority in Washington" for having reportedly tried to aid the Palestinians in securing Arafat an invitation to the White House.
The attack on Beilin came after a meeting between him and Arafat in April - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
