Palestinian-Israeli summit remains deadlocked

The first Palestinian-Israeli summit in four months failed to advance peace prospects or solidify a shaky truce, leaving main issues unresolved and both sides disappointed.

The meeting yesterday started with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon scolding Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for an upsurge in Palestinian violence. The chilly atmosphere never warmed.

The summit was supposed to precede an effort to work together to ensure Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza proceeds smoothly and peacefully. But the frosty meeting itself raised doubts as to whether the leaders can work together on the pullout, much less on further peace moves.

Palestinians were hoping for concrete results, like the release of more prisoners and easing of Israel’s West Bank security restrictions, like roadblocks, that have crippled life there through more than four years of conflict. Abbas needs such achievements to bolster his standing among his people.

In a speech after the summit, Sharon said he and Abbas ”agreed during the meeting on full co-ordination of our exit from Gaza,” but he did not offer details.

Israeli officials said Sharon also offered to hand over control of two more West Bank towns to the Palestinians and would consider releasing more prisoners if the Palestinians take steps to end violence.

In a sign of the tense atmosphere at the meeting, held at Sharon’s official Jerusalem residence, that the two leaders did not hold a joint news conference after the meeting, and Abbas did not address the media on his own, as scheduled, sending Qureia instead.

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

Sharon also 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.

Israel also would consider releasing additional prisoners and allowing Palestinians deported for involvement in violence to return, Israeli officials said.

Israel was to hand over five towns as part of the truce, but it froze the process after the first two, charging that the Palestinians had not disarmed militants in the areas under their control.

As the meeting opened, an Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at an abandoned structure in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said. The army declined to comment, but said Palestinian mortar and rocket fire had come from the area earlier in the day.