Israel and Palestinians to declare end to four years of fighting

The Israeli and Palestinian leaders will declare a formal end to more than four years of fighting at tomorrow’s Red Sea summit, both sides said tonight.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators finalised the agreement during last-minute preparations today.

“The most important thing at the summit will be a mutual declaration of cessation of violence against each other,” said Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian negotiator.

He said the agreement also includes the establishment of joint committees to determine criteria for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, and to oversee the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian cities on the West Bank.

An Israeli government official confirmed the ceasefire agreement, adding that the deal would also include an end to Palestinian incitement.

Heavy security will be in force at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas meet tomorrow.

Israel’s defence minister said today he feared militants may attempt to assassinate new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Shaul Mofaz warned that Israel has intelligence suggesting militants will try to disrupt the summit.

He said he has been told that militants, including the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, may attack the meeting. He said the information was not concrete but that he could not rule out an attempt to assassinate Abbas.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is to host the summit and Jordan’s King Abdullah is due to attend.

It will be the first meeting of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders since Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, succeeded Yasser Arafat.

Both Sharon and Abbas accepted invitations today to hold separate talks with President George Bush at the White House in the spring.

While Arab leaders hope the summit will build on gains made in the three months since Arafat’s death, Israel’s mantra is security.

“The first thing I care about is providing security to Israelis and then to give a limited opportunity to Abu Mazen and to the process and the dialogue opposite the Palestinian Authority,” Mofaz said. “I know we have to be patient and tolerant because the other alternatives, if this process collapses, are worse.”

In the past, US intervention has been necessary to secure any major advances, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today it would be good for regional leaders to push forward on their own.

“You needn’t worry. The United States will be there whenever needed,” she said.

Rice, who held talks with Abbas at his West Bank headquarters today promised active US involvement in Mideast peace-making, saying Washington would dispatch a high-level “security coordinator” to the region and send more than £20 million in immediate aid to the Palestinians.

She said she urged both sides to make “maximum effort” to seize the renewed chance for peace.

“We will be very active,” Rice said at a joint news conference with Abbas in Ramallah.

Rice said General William Ward, who headed a Nato force in Bosnia, has been chosen for the job of security coordinator.

General Ward will monitor compliance with security requirements, including reform of the Palestinian security forces, Rice said.