A Palestinian special committee Thursday finished drawing up conditions for reaching a general and inclusive ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian factions.

The committee proposed a one-year truce as of the beginning of 2007 in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on the basis of the current ceasefire only observed in Gaza.

The factions demand Israel halt all its operations in the Palestinian territories, stop chasing down what it calls wanted militants and release the frozen tax revenues of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

It also calls on Israel to withdraw forces from the territories which were reoccupied after the eruption of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000.

But the governing Hamas has boycotted the meetings of the committee, saying that the time was not suitable for such talks as the stalled talks over unity government was more important than talking about the ceasefire.

A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians went into effect on Nov. 26, under which Israel withdrew forces from the Gaza Strip in exchange for stopping rocket attacks against Israel.

The truce has been largely held by Israel and major Palestinian factions though it was neglected by some minor Palestinian militant groups, which continued the rocket attacks against Israel regardless of the ceasefire.

In face of continuous rocket attacks, Israeli Security Cabinet voted on Sunday to maintain a policy of restraint in Gaza but Defense Minister Amir Peretz clearly rejected extension of the ceasefire to the West Bank.

Source: Xinhua