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Arafat Demands Israeli Accurate Implementation of Ceasefire Agreement
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said Israel should accurately abide by the Palestinian-Israeli ceasefire agreement reached in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh on Tuesday.
Arafat made the remarks upon his return from Sharm el Sheikh, where he attended the multi-lateral summit aimed to end the 20-day-old Palestinian-Israeli clashes, which have killed over 100 people, mostly Palestinians.
In a closing statement, U.S. President Bill Clinton said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Arafat have agreed to take immediate concrete measures to end the current confrontations and eliminate points of friction.
Israel will redeploy troops to positions prior to the break-out of the crisis while the Palestinians will restore law and order. Israel will also end the closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and reopen Gaza airport.
The two sides also agreed on a fact-finding committee whose composition will be determined by Clinton and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who also participated in the summit. Palestinian Minister of Parliament Affairs Nabil Amr said the "positive" deal depends upon Israeli commitment to its items.
Anan's involvement in the international investigation commission is a positive factor, he added.
Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), said however that the outcome of the summit do not live up to the Palestinian people's minimum hopes or finesse the main cause. The United States and Israel should drastically change their way of dealing with the Palestinian cause, she said.
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