Israel Unconditionally Accepts Mitchell Report Proposals: SharonIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said that Israel unconditionally accepts the Mitchell report proposals aimed at ending the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Sharon made the remarks during a meeting Sunday afternoon with visiting U.S. special envoy for the Middle East William Burns to discuss ways to implement the recommendations by the Mitchell report, the prime minister's office said in a statement. The meeting was also attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binjamin Ben-Eliezer. The recommendations call on Israel to freeze its settlement activities and on Palestinians to step up fight against terrorism, calls for confidence-building measures and resuming peace negotiations. However, Sharon said that Israel cannot restrain itself indefinitely from the Palestinian violence and unless there is a total halt to violence, there can be no progress. Peres termed the opportunity to implement the Mitchell report a framework for ending conflict and resuming negotiations. Ben-Eliezer surveyed the Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets since the Israeli announcement of a limited ceasefire and presented Burns evidence showing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's responsibility for the attacks. Before the meeting, the mini cabinet of Sharon, Peres and Ben- Eliezer convened to coordinate their stance. Israel Radio quoted sources here as saying that there have already been discussions about a timetable for implementing the Mitchell report proposals for ending violence and resuming negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The sources said that Israel would continue its unilateral ceasefire which it declared last Tuesday to provide an opportunity for the American effort to succeed. Earlier on Sunday afternoon, Burns held a two-hour meeting with Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah and discussed Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people and the recommendations made by the International Inquiry Commission headed by former US Senator George Mitchell to probe the Israeli-Palestinian violence. During the meeting, Burns condemned the car bombings in Jerusalem on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Israel has refused to freeze its settlement construction but unilaterally announced to ban preemptive actions against the Palestinians. The Palestinians have accused Israel of violating its ceasefire commitment. Burns is due to meet Sharon and Arafat again in a bid to nail down a lasting ceasefire between the two sides. |
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