Abbas wins ceasefire promise from Hamas: Israel

[Violet_Crumble]

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas has secured a ceasefire deal with the radical Islamist Hamas movement and its smaller rival Islamic Jihad, persuading them to end their campaign of anti-Israeli attacks, Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said, welcoming the news.

"An agreement on a ceasefire was completed between Abu Mazen (Abbas) and terrorist organisations including Hamas and Islamic Jihad," in talks in the Gaza Strip, Mofaz said on military radio.

"This agreement was sealed in exchange for the future integration, notably of Hamas, in the Palestinian political institutions," Mofaz added, in a reference to the Palestinian Authority.

"The agreement constitutes a positive sign and a success for Abu Mazen, we are pleased with it but must closely follow the way the terrorist organisations conduct themselves on the ground."

Abbas met late Saturday with Hamas leaders. His office put out a statement after the meeting saying the talks had been "positive" and centred on "the return of calm that is in the national interest of Palestinians."

http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=050123055940.k7otnb1r.xml

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[King Mongo]

2. Waiting and hoping for peace

In the article titled "Waiting and hoping for peace" at your site, why not add the fact that Israel should immediately remove most of the illegal settlements in the West Bank?

While Israelis are expanding towards the dead sea, how can one expect the otherside to not resist such? While talk about removing illegal settlements in Gaza sounds nice, removing them from Gaza and the West Bank is a key element for peace to be possible.