Israel’s Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Wednesday that Israeli would withdraw troops from some West Bank cities and had released millions of dollars in frozen tax money in concessions to Palestinians after stinging criticism of an airstrike that killed 14 civilians as well as a Hamas leader.
The gesture came as Israeli officials defended the bombing and dismissed reports that a cease-fire declaration had just been signed by armed Palestinian groups before the attack. However, those officials also acknowledged military intelligence that led to Israel's raid was flawed.
Peres said that those who decided to go ahead with the operation were "apparently not aware" that the bomb would explode in a densely-populated area, or they would not have gone through with it. "We shall investigate very clearly what went wrong and draw all the conclusions," he said. "What happened is really regrettable. It wasn't done intentionally." "I think all of us feel sorry for the loss of life of innocent people, particularly children," Peres added.
Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met Wednesday morning with his diplomatic steering committee - composed of Peres, Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Finance Minister, Silva Shalom. During the meeting it was agreed to continue easing the sancitons on the Palestinian population. It was also decided to expand the area for fishing off the Gaza Strip coast, Israel Radio reported.
According to AP, Peres told reporters after the meeting that the army still intended to withdraw from areas of Hebron and Bethlehem occupied last month, if they remained calm and if the Palestinians assumed control. The army would also consider leaving Ramallah, where Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has been holed up, if there was a plan guaranteeing law and order there, he said.
Members of Israel's negotiating team, headed by Peres, will meet Thursday with an international delegation due to arrive in the region to plan civil reforms in the Palestinian Authority.
Peres also said he had called the Palestinian finance minister Wednesday morning to tell him that about $45 million was being transferred — about 10 percent of the total amount Israel has withheld in tax revenues, and that Israel had forgiven about $31 million in debt. Palestinian Authority Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad, will meet with his Israeli counterpart, or Director General of the Finance Ministry in the coming days to discuss ways to transfer to the Palestinians these funds.
In addition, 4,000 work permits had been issued of a promised 7,000, and the total number would reach 30,000, he said.
However, Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the Palestinian leadership had not decided whether talks with Israel at this point could continue after the strike and with Israeli troops holding seven major West Bank towns and cities.
Palestinians said Arafat was close to an agreement with Hamas to stop the attacks when the Israelis sent their air force to attack Gaza Strip. Ismail Abu Shanab, a leading Hamas official in Gaza, confirmed that the group had held meetings with Palestinian officials in recent weeks in which Hamas had agreed that if Israel withdrew from the Palestinian towns it occupies "we will stop these operations."
Abdul Aziz Rantisi, a prominent Hamas leader, said there now would be no cease-fire. "After yesterday's heinous massacre in Gaza, there will be no more respect for a Zionist child or the so-called Zionist civilians," he said in an interview Wednesday.
An official from Fatah, Hatem Abdel Kader, said European Union officials were involved in the intra-Palestinian talks and had informed Israel about an emerging cease-fire declaration earlier this week. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
