Abbas says Palestinians will call cease-fire

[jswordy]

The Palestinians will call a cease-fire in hostilities with Israel when the two sides meet next week for peace talks in Egypt, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said today.

Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will hold talks on Feb. 8 in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, their first meeting in more than a year. Abbas last month was elected president on a promise to end violence and restart the peace process that ended with the so-called Intifada uprising in 2000.

``We will announce a cease-fire and the Israeli side must announce the same thing,'' Abbas told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres today told Israeli Army Radio he hopes the summit will include a declaration on an end to violence.

The death in November of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the election of Abbas, also know as Abu Mazen, have spurred Israel and the Palestinians to revive the so-called ``road map'' to peace in the Middle East first proposed in 2003. The plan sets out steps the two sides must take toward the creation of a Palestinian state, including the renunciation of violence.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aseBeJZQdjaM&refer=top_world_news

[Rockerdem]

1. Anybody?

Is this just more of the same, or does it mean anything at all? How many other times have we seen this sort of thing amount to nothing?

[jswordy]

2. I believe this time it is different.

Abbas's political legitimacy rides on this process. Arafat's did not. Abbas has moved to clean up Palestinian areas of smuggling tunnels and get the radical groups under control. He has cleared out squatter businesses that were allowed to grow during Arafat's time as long as they showed favor to Arafat.

It looks like Abbas wants his people to come under the rule of law, not under the rule of currying favors from their politicos.

I think he represents a good chance for Palestinians to move forward. The wild card is Israel. Whether the Isaraelis are ready and willing to provide equal standing to Palestinians, and to forego the benefits accruing to Israel by not doing so, is still an open question.

[yinkaafrica]

3. Sharon will fire up the bull dozers, he loves his IDF terror machine

There is no wild card here. The only peace Sharon wants
is the sound of silence, the silence he envisions after
he has slaughtered or driven out every innocent Palestinian.

[bemildred]

4. Ignore what is said. Watch what is done.

Time will tell.

[4dsc]

5. I wonder if Sharon will do the same??

Somehow I doubt it!!