Significant progress has been made between Palestinian factions over the past few days regarding future talks in Egypt to renew the calm, Palestinian sources told Ynet Wednesday.
The calm, an intra-Palestinian agreement to halt attacks on Israeli targets, was first reached in February this year and is set to end in December.
The Egyptian security delegation currently in the Gaza Strip since the eve of disengagement, has continued efforts with the factions in a bid to set out basic principles for a future summit in Cairo aimed at discussing the extention of the ceasefire, or calm.
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| PA: King Abdullah to visit West Bank / Associated Press |
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Abbas’ office announces Jordanian king to visit West Bank next week; earlier PA Prime Minister Qureia erroneously says visit would take place on Wednesday; aide to Sharon says two leaders might meet then |
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Furthermore, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman is scheduled to arrive in the Gaza Strip next week, to officially invite the factions to a series of talks in Cairo.
The Palestinian Authority has expressed optimism that the summit would bring about an understanding for the need for calm in the region, in order to carry out successful parliamentary elections in January, successfully rehabilitate the Strip and continue with the peace plan.
"The groups must reach a clear and unequivocal understanding regarding the calm," one Palestinian source said. "It is more important to set up a system that will prevent every Palestinian organization from responding at will to Israel's provocations."
"During this period where Israel's political system has entered a dead-end and where the issue of elections lingers in the air, Prime Minister Sharon is likely to try to escalate the security situation…this time, we expect the Palestinian groups will not be played by Israel, as was done several times during the present calm."
Islamic Jihad: Halutz' remarks no threat
Meanwhile, senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza Muhammad al-Hindi said that IDF Chief Dan Halutz' remarks that targeted assassinations will continue, "does not scare the movement's leaders and members who have sacrificed themselves for Allah."
"These statements will force us to seriously consider the possibility of not renewing the calm," he said.
However, the PA is hoping talks between the factions will successfully end in the next few days and a series of talks to discuss a future ceasefire will begin shortly in Cairo.
Sources added that Egyptian officials are continuing feverish talks with Palestinian groups abroad, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad leadership in Damascus, in a bid to reach a future agreement for a continued calm.
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