Israeli PM Authorizes Security Talks With Palestinians

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Israeli PM Authorizes Security Talks With Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has instructed chief of the General Security Service (Shin Bet) Avi Dichter to hold talks with Palestinian security officials to prevent attacks on Israel, Israel Radio reported on Wednesday.

Sharon has updated U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on this order, which was given though the Israeli cabinet declared Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat "irrelevant" and decided to cut contacts with him.

The Palestinians have reportedly not yet approved the proposal.

In phone talks with both Sharon and Arafat, Powell has called for the renewal of security meetings between Israel and the Palestinians, claiming that the U.S. attaches the importance on direct talks between the two sides.

Powell told Sharon by phone on Tuesday that Israel needs to respond to the initiatives put forth by Arafat, and to create an atmosphere conducive to bringing about progress in contacts with the Palestinians.

Powell also said that Israel should help relieve the economic crisis faced by the Palestinians and ease the closures and restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The U.S. secretary of state also held phone talks with Arafat inresponse to his Sunday's call for all Palestinians to end attacks on Israel and his move to close offices of the radical Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Jihad (Holy war) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the past few days.

In another development, Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has instructed the army to allow Palestinian police to movebetween Palestinian-controlled areas in the West Bank to carry out arrests and operations against terrorists.

Powell, Arafat Hold Phone Discussion

Arafat Seen as Only Palestinian Leader Possible for Peace Deal with