Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

oPt

New round of inter-Palestinian dialogue opens in Cairo

CAIRO, Mar 15, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A new round of inter-Palestinian dialogue kicked off here Tuesday, as the Palestinians are seeking to sort out differences over a formal ceasefire with Israel and to achieve a unified Palestinian stance toward peace talks with the Jewish state.

Representatives of 13 Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad (Holy War), took part in the dialogue, which Palestinian officials said could end up with a declaration of a truce with Israel.

In an interview with Israel Channel 1 TV on Sunday evening, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he wanted the dialogue to achieve its goals of reaching a mutual ceasefire with Israel and agreeing on a unified national program based on the Palestinians' interests.

Militant groups, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have yet to declare a formal ceasefire with Israel, although they have largely observed a "quiet period" at the behest of Abbas.

They have said any formal ceasefire with Israel would not be free or unconditional, stressing any Palestinian peace move must be reciprocated by the Israeli side.

"A ceasefire will hold only when Israel stops all kinds of anti- Palestinian measures," Mohamed Nazaal, one of Hamas leaders, told Xinhua ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

Speaking of the Egyptian proposal of a one-year truce with Israel, Nazaal said the group respects the peace efforts exerted by Egypt, but Israel should also fulfill its obligations, including releasing Palestinian prisoners and ending military aggressions in the occupied territories.

He said Hamas came to join the Cairo dialogue because it wants to show support for the unity of the Palestinian people.

He added that besides a ceasefire, the meeting would address other internal issues to achieve a unified Palestinian national front.

Addressing the opening session of the meeting, Abbas said that the Palestinian side refuses to carry out commitments while the other side (Israel) is doing nothing.

"We refuse to carry out commitments from one side only. Israel, too, has to carry out its commitments immediately and stop attacking the Palestinian people," Abbas stressed.

He called upon Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories captured in 1967.

"Promotion of national unity among all Palestinian factions and forces is our common goal within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)," he said, adding that "the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) seeks a national consensus on all issues."

The newly-elected leader also asked the Palestinians to respect each other to the benefit of the highest interests of the Palestinian nation.

Tuesday's meeting, which will last till Saturday, was originally slated for March 5, but was postponed following a Feb. 25 Tel Aviv suicide bombing attack which killed five Israelis.

The bombing shattered a mutual ceasefire declared by Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at a Feb. 8 summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Israel further agreed at the meeting, which was also attended by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II, to release some 900 Palestinian prisoners and return security control of five West Bank cities to the Palestinian side.

However, after the Tel Aviv bombing, Israel has frozen measures to fulfill the promises, urging the Palestinian side to crack down on militants.

At present, the two sides are still busy with talks to find a way to fulfill the understandings reached in Sharm el-Sheikh.

On late Monday, Sharon rejected Palestinian militant leaders' statement in Cairo that they were ready to offer a formal ceasefire if Israel frees more prisoners and withdraw troops from occupied Palestinian territories.

Sharon said the offer was unacceptable if militants did not give up what he called the "terror option."