Israel offer towns for end to violence

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that Israel would hand over two more West Bank towns and consider releasing more prisoners if the Palestinians take step to end violence, officials said today.

This came after the leaders held their first summit since a ceasefire was declared in February.

After the meeting, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah that the summit was “difficult” and did not live up to expectations.

“In all the basic issues for which we were expecting positive responses, there were none,” Qureia said.

Abbas had been scheduled to speak to reporters after the summit, but sent Qureia instead – an apparent sign of Palestinian disappointment over the results.

When asked about the summit, Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian minister in charge of co-ordinating Israel’s planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer, said: “There was nothing, nothing”

Israel Radio reported that Sharon gave Abbas permission to begin preparations for re-opening the Gaza Strip’s airport and harbour, Israel Radio reported. The opening of the ports is seen as key to reducing Gaza’s isolation once Israel pulls out of the coastal strip this summer.

The meeting, which lasted more than two hours, was meant to step up co-ordination of Israel’s planned Gaza withdrawal, which is scheduled to begin in less than two months.

Abbas told Sharon that the Palestinian Authority is organising a force of 5,000 men to ensure calm during the pull-out, said Israeli officials who participated in the meeting.

Israeli officials said Sharon told Abbas that Israel would hand over the West Bank towns of Qalqiliya and Bethlehem to Palestinian control in two weeks if the Palestinians take steps to stop attacks.