Leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced Thursday that the Palestinian Prime Minster Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has indeed presented a proposal for truce with Israel without elaborating further on the details. The two leaders also reiterated the Palestinian factions’ conditions for the truce.
Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al Rantisi, speaking to Al Bawaba, said that his group has told Abu Mazen that Hamas would limit its attacks to Israeli military targets and settlers, and would refrain from attacking civilians provided that the Israel stops its attacks on Palestinian civilians and releases the prisoners.
The Hamas leader, who himself was a recent target by a botched Israeli rocket attack; said Hamas would consider the new developments which could have an impact on the Palestinian crisis.
“The most important thing is the ongoing dialogue and consultation between Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli aggression,” said Rantisi. He added, “We have publicly said that there are concerns about the results of the Aqaba summit, and we have indicated our 'red lines'. We want to see Israeli aggression halted and we also want to continue to work at upholding internal Palestinian unity.”
Asked about the news reports regarding the transfer of talks to the Egyptian capital, Rantisi said, “We have neither heard about this nor have we received any official invitation yet.”
Earlier, Abu Mazen held a series of meetings with the Palestinian factions in Gaza to try to reach a truce with Israel, particularly after the latest string of Israeli attacks on Islamic leaders in Gaza, which resulted in the death of at least 30 Palestinians. The factions also met with the Egyptian envoy - General Mustafa al Behairi, deputy intelligence chief - who sought to achieve calm in the area following the latest string of Israeli attacks and the Palestinian bombings in Jerusalem which Hamas claimed responsibility for.
Meanwhile, sources have reported that Israel has also accepted a six week truce – an outcome of recent American-Israeli talks. However, Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al Batch, told Al Bawaba "the Palestinian factions know nothing about any American truce proposal and that they have not received any information on the issue officially." He added, “If we want to talk about a truce we should have details about it so that we can decide on our stance towards it. The truce should be in favor of the Palestinian people and the Islamic Jihad won’t accept any truce under which settlers and occupiers would be the only beneficiaries. The truce can be only accepted if there is a breakthrough towards an Israeli withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 lines, a complete halt of settlement expansion - or at least a promise of [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and West Bank within a specific timetable,” he said.
Asked about Abu Mazen’s proposals in his meetings with Islamic Jihad and Hamas, Batch said, “Abu Mazen has been seeking a truce because he advocates the halt of military operations against the occupation. He said he is 'pro' a 'popular Intifada' and this has been his attitude for a long time. However, this has proven its failure in view of the thousands of Palestinians who have been killed or wounded. Abu Mazen believes that we can maintain our interests through a truce…we told him that this might lead to short term political gains, however it will provide security for the settlers and an opportunity for Sharon to resume his attacks on us.”
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
