A senior Egyptian official has called on the Palestinians to implement a six-month moratorium on anti-Israel violence in order to kick-start a new peace process.
Dr. Usama al-Baz, the senior political adviser to Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, said that suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians did not advance the Palestinian cause. They gave the Israeli army a pretext for incursions into Palestinian areas, he Monday told the BBC.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said the Palestinians did not object to a moratorium in principle, but would require some kind of reciprocal commitment from the Israelis.
"You cannot tell people... to do that unless they see that the Israelis are going to reciprocate, and you can't force them to do it unless the Israelis allow us to rebuild our security forces," he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has pledged not to miss the chance to make peace with the Palestinians in the coming weeks.
"I have taken the oath to do everything in my power to lead the country to peace, and such a chance exists this spring," he said.
"I have only set myself a single limitation: on the security of Israel I will not be ready to make any promise, of any kind and under any condition," he said ahead of Wednesday's 55th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state.
Israeli diplomatic sources said Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz planned to meet Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas next week. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
