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A senior diplomatic Israeli source sees wide gaps but Hamas talks of compromise.
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A senior Israeli diplomatic source has said that the talks in Cairo to formulate arrangements for an extended truce have at this stage yielded no results. The source said, “The gaps between the sides are large and there has been no progress in the negotiations.”
However, this afternoon the security cabinet will meet to discuss developments in Cairo amid reports that much has been agreed on core issues.
Izzat Abdul Risheq, a member of Hamas’s negotiating team in Cairo has said that his organization does not oppose the Palestinian Authority headed by Abu Mazen taking responsibility for rebuilding the Gaza Strip and implementing any agreement that will be reached. He also does not oppose the Palestinian Authority being in charge of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
These issues have been a major bone of contention between Israel and Hamas and it is the first time that Hamas has dropped its demand for direct control of the Rafah border. Risheq told Palestinian news agency Maan, “We’ve updated Abu Mazen and our brothers in the Palestinian Authority that we are prepared from this moment to transfer the Rafah border crossing to Abu Mazen.”
Risheq added, “Everybody is in a crisis. Israel the Palestinian Authority and Hamas and the international situation in the region has changed for everybody. There is no way out of responding to the changing circumstances for our people and our problems. Consequently, we have transferred control to the unity government on the basis of a partnership.”
Maan also reports that the head of the Palestinian delegation to the Cairo talks Azzam al-Ahmad has said that the Palestinian unity government with the Palestinian Authority will accept all cease-fire terms that are agreed and agreements for the rebuilding of Gaza.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com
