Peres, Arafat agree to ceasefire

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), SEPT. 26. Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed to a ceasefire almost exactly a year after the outbreak of bloody confrontations that has left over 700 dead, the vast majority of them Palestinians.

While pressure from the U.S., which sees the resumption of the Israel-Palestinian dialogue as vital to its efforts to build a coalition against terrorism, was a major factor that motivated both sides to agree to the truce, there were other reasons as well. Israel's coalition Government has begun fraying and the Palestinian Authority is aware as never before of the dangers of unbridled militancy.

Only a brief statement was issued after the meeting between Mr. Arafat and Mr. Peres in the VIP hall of the Gaza airport. In the statement, read out by the Palestinian chief negotiator, Mr. Saeb Erekat, the two sides merely promised to make maximum effort to enforce the ceasefire to which both had declared their commitments several times over. These earlier declarations of willingness to observe a ceasefire were issued unilaterally and failed to hold because there were infractions from both sides.

However, the ceasefire agreement now arrived at should last, provided the provocation by either side is not too severe, since both sides are under tremendous pressure. This ceasefire is intended to enable both sides to seriously move towards the implementation of the Mitchell and Tenet plans.

Briefing the Israeli media later, Mr. Peres said the measures to be implemented in the first week included the resumption of meetings of the joint security committees. CIA representatives will attend these meetings as supervisors and arbitrators. As the ceasefire begins to take hold, Israel will remove the blockades of Palestinian towns or villages where quiet has been maintained. They will also make it easier for Palestinians to travel between their towns and villages.

It is not, however, likely that the Palestinian Authority will hand over those who are arrested to the Israelis. If there is total quiet for a week Israel will withdraw its forces to the positions they were in before the Palestinian uprising broke out on September 28 last year. The international border crossings to the Palestinian territories and the airport will be re-opened and additional Palestinians will be allowed to enter Israel for work.

Hamas and the Islamic Jehad have already declared that they will bot honour the ceasefire.

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Section  : International
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