Friday, May 30, 2003
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By Atul Aneja
An Israeli soldier prays while he guards arrested Palestinians in the southern Israeli checkpoint of Kissufim on Thursday. — AFP
The meeting between Mr. Sharon and Mr. Abbas, popularly known as Abu Mazen, is expected to discuss the broad principles that would help defuse violence against Israelis and encourage Isarel, on its part, to build on its recent declaration accepting an independent Palestinian State. While sharing the sentiment for peace, the two leaders will have to bridge their differences on ways to achieve it. Israel appears to be nudging Mr. Abbas to crack down on the Palestinian extremists. That, in turn, means Palestinians taking concrete steps on the ground to arrest leaders of the violent campaign unleashed against Israel, as well as dismantling the infrastructure, including the propaganda machinery, that encourages Palestinians to undertake suicide attacks. In doing so, the Palestinian security establishment is being encouraged to take on headlong, the extremist group Hamas, which has become the nucleus of a terror campaign against Israeli civilians. While opposed to suicide attacks against Israelis, Mr. Abbas, at least for now, appears to following a different approach to quieten the Hamas. Instead of confronting the Hamas, the Palestinian Prime Minister is keen to engage this group in order to achieve results. Confident of success, Mr. Abbas told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Thursday that he expected to reach an agreement with Hamas by next week for a complete halt to attacks on Israelis. The Hamas leadership, on its part, appeared to be backing Mr. Abbas' non-confrontationist approach. Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader said on Thursday that the organisation has set no preconditions for discussing a cease-fire agreement with Mr. Abbas next week. Despite its conciliatory signals, the Hamas, is not prepared to surrender all its cards. Hamas religious leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, on Wednesday told Mr. Abbas that the Hamas will not surrender its weapons until a Palestinian state is declared. Aware of the Mr. Abbas' difficulties, the Israelis, while pushing the Palestinian Premier to adopt a more muscular approach, may be satisfied if , the Palestinians make a cent per cent "effort" to curb violence against Israelis. During the meeting on Thursday night, Mr. Sharon is expected to propose to Mr. Abbas that the Palestinians should take charge of the security of Palestinian areas from where the Israeli army intends to gradually withdraw. At the end of the meeting, a joint statement is expected where both sides could declare a general ceasefire.
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