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Israeli, Palestinian Truce Meeting Fails to Close Gaps
Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs ended a meeting in Tel Aviv on Wednesday without results on how to implement a ceasefire plan proposed by George Tenet, director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
The Palestinians complained that Israel was not prepared for the nearly five-hour meeting, which was called by Tenet, and that Israel did not commit to specific steps, such as lifting closure on the Palestinian towns, Israeli press reports said.
Tenet has left for the United States following his efforts to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinians.
But U.S. officials said that the Tel Aviv meeting was " constructive and productive" and that the two sides "have already started implementing a ceasefire on the ground," Israeli television said.
The Palestinian security force in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday checked for weapons on Palestinian vehicles to prevent possible attacks on Israeli settlers.
The Israelis and Palestinians are also expected to implement the requirements of the ceasefire plan within a week.
The Israeli television said that Israel has relented its demand for the Palestinians to arrest activists of the radical Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Islamic Jihad (or Holy War) at this stage. The Palestinians have rejected the demand.
The Palestinians also call for Israeli troop withdrawal to the positions before the outbreak of the violence last September. Israel, however, said that it will redeploy its troops only after there is a "complete cessation of violence."
Earlier reports said that the two sides were likely to hold further sessions Wednesday night so as to sign on the Tenet document. But it is now not clear whether they would go ahead with their plan.
With two sides still disagreeing on several issues, it is questionable whether the Tenet plan can turn the fragile relative calm into a sustainable ceasefire in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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