President Mubarak meets in Cairo with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
Associated Press
Arab leaders and top US, European and U.N. diplomats held key talks Wednesday in an attempt to revive the Arab-Israeli peace process even as a deadly rocket attack by Palestinian militants in Gaza raised fears of an increasing cycle of violence.
The rocket hit a street in the southern Israeli town of Siderot, near the Gaza Strip, killing a woman – the first deadly rocket attack since Israel withdrew from Gaza more than a year ago.
Israel s Public Security Minister Avi Dichter told Army Radio that the military must broaden its operations in Gaza to bring about a complete halt to rocket fire, whether that means a ground operation, or an air operation or other special operations. The attack came shortly before President Hosni Mubarak met in Cairo with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for talks on forming a new Palestinian national unity government key to reviving peace hopes. In their meeting, Mubarak told Abbas that Palestinians should speak in one voice and express positions that advance the peace process and end Palestinian suffering. Later in the day, representatives of the so-called Quartet of peacemakers – the US, European Union, Russia and UN – met in Cairo to discuss how to relaunch the peace process long stalled by Israeli-Palestinian fighting.
It was the first gathering of the Quartet since the Palestinian militant group Hamas formed its government following its landslide victory in the January legislative elections, throwing the peace process into crisis.
The new momentum followed the news that Abbas Fatah party is close to finishing an agreement with Hamas on the formation of a Palestinian coalition government.Top US envoy, Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, also held talks with Arab League chief Amr Moussa before Welch joined the Quartet meeting, being held at the Russian Embassy. Abbas met Welch the evening before.
UN Mideast envoy Alvaro De Soto said he was encouraged by progress made in forming a new Palestinian government. Let us wait and see the final formation of the Cabinet and its program, De Soto said.
Hamas said Tuesday it would not recognize Israel, even after a new government takes power. However, it indicated that it would allow the government to set its own policies _ a position that Abbas and Arab leaders hope will allow negotiations to resume and lead to a lifting of an international cut-off of aid to the Palestinians.
On Sunday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, a leader of Hamas, endorsed a call from Arab foreign ministers for a multilateral conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the principle of land for peace. Zahar s endorsement marked the first time that Hamas has shown some flexibility on Israel.Hamas has long refused to recognize Israel, the Palestinian-Israeli agreements, and to renounce violence.
These policies caused the Western allies to cut off all direct aid to the Palestinian Authority after the Hamas government took office early this year. The withdrawal of funds has led to mass demonstrations by thousands of unpaid civil servants, and the tension between Fatah and Hamas has erupted in gunbattles in the streets of Gaza.It is understood that when the coalition government is formed, Abbas as president will take charge of negotiations with Israel and the outside world. The government will be one of nominally independent experts appointed by the rival parties.It is hoped the formula will allow for normal dealings with the Palestinians Western donors.
Abbas said Tuesday that the new government would be formed soon, but did not say when.
Both Israel and the United States signaled a willingness Monday to talk to the Palestinian government if it moderates itself, though each said they would wait to see the new government s program before they passed judgment. In Jerusalem, US diplomats said they have been in close contact with Abbas over his attempts to assemble the new government. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said after talks with US President George W. Bush on Monday that he would try to meet Abbas soon.
