Israeli and Palestinian leaders said they will declare a formal end to more than four years of fighting during a summit Tuesday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheikh.
The cease-fire deal finalized during last-minute preparations Monday on the eve of the summit, The AP said. "The most important thing at the summit will be a mutual declaration of cessation of violence against each other," said Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian negotiator.
Erekat said the agreement also includes the formation of joint committees - one to determine criteria for the release of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails, and the other to oversee the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian cities in the West Bank.
An Israeli government official confirmed the cease-fire deal and said it would also include an end to Palestinian "incitement" to violence, such as official Palestinian TV and radio broadcasts that glorify suicide bombers and other attackers.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will attend the summit Tuesday, along with Jordan's King Abdullah II and the host, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. It will be the first meeting of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders since Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, was elected as the new Palestinian president.
