The Hindu : Hamas may scuttle peace initiative

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2002

International

International

Hamas may scuttle peace initiative

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) AUG. 19. In its efforts to defuse tensions by ordering a pull-out of its forces from key Palestinian strongholds, Israel may have underestimated the capacity of the extremist Palestinian group, Hamas, to undermine its plans.

After a hectic round of negotiations with the Palestinian security representatives on Sunday, the Israeli Defence Ministry has decided to withdraw its forces from Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Security of the two areas, after the withdrawal that is scheduled to commence on Monday evening, will now be handed over to the Palestinian authorities.

Under the "Gaza first" plan thrashed out between the Israeli Defence Minister, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, and the Palestinian Authority Interior Minister, Abdel Razeq Yahiyah, Palestinians will take charge of security in these areas while Israel will begin easing restrictions on the Palestinian civilian population. In case the Palestinians can reduce violence generated from within these areas inside Israel, a similar exercise can be undertaken in other areas as well. Israel, after the recent spate of terrorist attacks on its civilian population, has occupied seven out of the eight Palestinian cities that the latter should govern themselves.

Israel has decided to pull out from Gaza first, because the population of Gaza, unlike those in the West Bank, finds it more difficult to mount suicide attacks on Israeli territory. Unlike in the West Bank, Israel is in a better position to monitor movement of Palestinians from Gaza into its territory, as the entire area is fenced.

Despite the latest Israeli attempt to de-escalate tensions, analysts are sceptical whether its new initiative will work. Their reservations can be attributed to the fact that the Hamas has not endorsed the new plan.

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