Palestinians Still Committed to Ceasefire With Israel: Statement

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 15, 2001

Palestinians Still Committed to Ceasefire With Israel: Statement

The Palestinian National Authority(PNA) said Friday night that despite the Israeli airstrikes and military incursions, it is still committed to a ceasefire deal reached with Israel and the emergency state in the Palestinian territories.

The PNA reiterated the commitment in a statement, issued after aweekly cabinet meeting, chaired by Yasser Arafat, in the West Bank town of Ramallah, the Palestinian official WAFA news agency reported.

The PNA "is still sticking to the ceasefire agreement and the emergency state to put a firm and a final end to all the attempts to violate the ceasefire deal by the Palestinian side," said the statement.

It added that the PNA is condemning and denouncing all "terrorist" actions and attacks targeting civilians, whether they are Israelis or Palestinians.

"As soon as the PNA security forces have the opportunity to havefree access to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the emergency state would be implemented and the situation would be completely in control," it stressed.

The PNA has instructed its security forces to look for and find all factories and workshops that are manufacturing the metal piecesfor producing the home-made mortar shells that are used against Israel.

"These factories are used by the Israeli government as an excusefor its security and military escalation, imposing siege on our towns and reoccupying parts of it," said the statement.

The PNA called on the United States and U.S. President George W.Bush together with Europe and the Arab countries to immediately interfere to end the new Israeli measures.

"Lifting closure on Palestinian territories and ending airstrikes and incursions would enable our security forces do theirduties and fulfill our commitments," said the statement.

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