Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Israel ready to withdraw from Arab territories
* Olmert says heââ¬â¢s ready to free prisoners
* Stresses importance of Gilad Shalitââ¬â¢s release to dialogue process
SDE BOKER: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that Israel was prepared to withdraw from considerable Palestinian territory in exchange for peace.
ââ¬ÅWe are ready to withdraw from considerable territory in exchange for peace with the Palestinians,ââ¬Â he told a ceremony in the Negev desert marking the anniversary of the death of Israeliââ¬â¢s first premier, David Ben Gurion.
ââ¬ÅI propose to you, engaging on a new path. We started yesterdayââ¬Â when a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into effect, Olmert said on the second day of the tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
ââ¬ÅIf a new government (Palestinian) comes about and commits to the principles of the quartet, which will make the roadmap work, which will release Gilad Shalit, I propose an immediate meeting with Abu Mazen (Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas) to engage in open, sincere and serious dialogue,ââ¬Â he added.
Israeli soldier Shalit was captured in late June in a cross-border raid conducted by three armed groups, including Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, sparking five months of Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip.
Olmert conditioned any resumption of peace talks on the soldierââ¬â¢s release and acceptance by any future Palestinian unity government of international demands to renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept existing interim peace accords.
ââ¬ÅWith Gilad Shalitââ¬â¢s release and his return safe and sound to his family, the Israeli government will be willing to release many Palestinian prisioners, even those who have been sentenced to lengthy terms,ââ¬Â Olmert said.
It was the first time that Olmert had specially spoken of exchanging prisoners for Shalit. ââ¬ÅIn that framework and in keeping with the roadmap you could create an independent and viable Palestinian state with territory in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), a state with total sovereignty with defined borders,ââ¬Â he said.
Israeli soldier Shalit was captured by Palestinian groups in late June during a cross-border attack claimed by three armed wings, including that of the ruling movement Hamas.
His seizure sparked the five month long Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, where around 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers were killed before the tenuous ceasefire came into effect on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian militant and a woman were killed during an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank Monday, as the tenuous ceasefire held in the Gaza Strip, security and medical sources said.
Abdel Razek Nasser, 25, a local head of the Popular Resistance Committees, died in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers in Kabatiyeh, the Palestinian sources said.
The woman, a 50-year-old neighbour, was killed by mistake as she rushed to help, they added.
In a revised version of Mondayââ¬â¢s events in the West Bank, an Israeli army spokesman said troops operating in Kabatiyeh fired on one armed Palestinian.
Throughout the West Bank overnight, Israeli troops arrested 15 people belonging to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbasââ¬â¢s Fatah party, the army said.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told public radio that the army had exercised restraint ââ¬Åso as not to give the most extremist terrorist elements the chance to lead the entire region in a new escalation of violenceââ¬Â.
ââ¬ÅWe demand however that Abu Mazen (Abbas) and the Hamas government act on the ground to respect the ceasefire,ââ¬Â Peretz said.
The minister said the ceasefire ââ¬Åcould create favourable conditions for the release of Gilad Shalit as well as the conclusion of much more stable arrangements allowing dialogue and the start of mutual recognitionââ¬Â. agencies
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\11\28\story_28-11-2006_pg1_1
Israel ready to withdraw from Arab territories
* Olmert says heââ¬â¢s ready to free prisoners
* Stresses importance of Gilad Shalitââ¬â¢s release to dialogue process
SDE BOKER: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that Israel was prepared to withdraw from considerable Palestinian territory in exchange for peace.
ââ¬ÅWe are ready to withdraw from considerable territory in exchange for peace with the Palestinians,ââ¬Â he told a ceremony in the Negev desert marking the anniversary of the death of Israeliââ¬â¢s first premier, David Ben Gurion.
ââ¬ÅI propose to you, engaging on a new path. We started yesterdayââ¬Â when a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into effect, Olmert said on the second day of the tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
ââ¬ÅIf a new government (Palestinian) comes about and commits to the principles of the quartet, which will make the roadmap work, which will release Gilad Shalit, I propose an immediate meeting with Abu Mazen (Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas) to engage in open, sincere and serious dialogue,ââ¬Â he added.
Israeli soldier Shalit was captured in late June in a cross-border raid conducted by three armed groups, including Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, sparking five months of Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip.
Olmert conditioned any resumption of peace talks on the soldierââ¬â¢s release and acceptance by any future Palestinian unity government of international demands to renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept existing interim peace accords.
ââ¬ÅWith Gilad Shalitââ¬â¢s release and his return safe and sound to his family, the Israeli government will be willing to release many Palestinian prisioners, even those who have been sentenced to lengthy terms,ââ¬Â Olmert said.
It was the first time that Olmert had specially spoken of exchanging prisoners for Shalit. ââ¬ÅIn that framework and in keeping with the roadmap you could create an independent and viable Palestinian state with territory in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), a state with total sovereignty with defined borders,ââ¬Â he said.
Israeli soldier Shalit was captured by Palestinian groups in late June during a cross-border attack claimed by three armed wings, including that of the ruling movement Hamas.
His seizure sparked the five month long Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, where around 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers were killed before the tenuous ceasefire came into effect on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian militant and a woman were killed during an Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank Monday, as the tenuous ceasefire held in the Gaza Strip, security and medical sources said.
Abdel Razek Nasser, 25, a local head of the Popular Resistance Committees, died in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers in Kabatiyeh, the Palestinian sources said.
The woman, a 50-year-old neighbour, was killed by mistake as she rushed to help, they added.
In a revised version of Mondayââ¬â¢s events in the West Bank, an Israeli army spokesman said troops operating in Kabatiyeh fired on one armed Palestinian.
Throughout the West Bank overnight, Israeli troops arrested 15 people belonging to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbasââ¬â¢s Fatah party, the army said.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told public radio that the army had exercised restraint ââ¬Åso as not to give the most extremist terrorist elements the chance to lead the entire region in a new escalation of violenceââ¬Â.
ââ¬ÅWe demand however that Abu Mazen (Abbas) and the Hamas government act on the ground to respect the ceasefire,ââ¬Â Peretz said.
The minister said the ceasefire ââ¬Åcould create favourable conditions for the release of Gilad Shalit as well as the conclusion of much more stable arrangements allowing dialogue and the start of mutual recognitionââ¬Â. agencies
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\11\28\story_28-11-2006_pg1_1
