Sharon, Abbas meet amid new tension

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas met Tuesday for the first time in four months amid a spike in violence that has threatened new efforts to co-ordinate Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

With tensions rising, prospects for any major breakthroughs appeared slim. Sharon was expected to demand a crackdown on militants, while Abbas was expected to push for wide-ranging moves to ease the burdens of occupation.

"These things in the last 48 hours have really cast a dark cloud over the summit. But I hope we continue to exert maximum efforts" to make it a success, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said before the meeting.

Tuesday's summit was the first meeting between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders since they declared a cease-fire in February. The truce has raised hopes that the Gaza pullout, scheduled to begin in August, could lead to a resumption of peace talks.

But in recent days, the ceasefire has shown signs of unravelling. Early Tuesday, Israel arrested 52 Islamic Jihad members in the West Bank, in its widest crackdown on the group since the truce declaration. The raid came in response to three consecutive days of attacks carried out by Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said the military changed tack because the Palestinian Authority has been "ineffectual."

"When we found out that the Islamic Jihad was carrying out acts of terror and wasn't adhering to the truce...then there was no choice but to take resolute action," Mofaz said. "That activity will continue everywhere, and at all times."

The spike in violence has compromised recent efforts to co-ordinate Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians, and stoked fears that a renewed chance for peacemaking might be lost. Sharon has said a smooth withdrawal could lead to a resumption of peace talks.

After Palestinian militants declared an informal cease-fire early this year, Israel agreed to go after only those on the brink of carrying out attacks.

The summit followed a weekend visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who urged both sides to step up cooperation to ensure a smooth pullout.

When Sharon unveiled his plan last year, he envisioned it as a unilateral act, saying he could not negotiate with Abbas' predecessor, the late Yasser Arafat.

Erekat said security issues and the Gaza withdrawal would be on the agenda Tuesday. He declined to predict what might come out of the meeting.

The bigger issues of peace and statehood are likely to remain on hold until after Israel completes its evacuation, though Palestinians want assurances the withdrawal will be followed by further Israeli pullbacks in the West Bank

Source: China Daily