Palestine Accepts U.S. Plan to Cease Fire

Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, signed on the arbitration plan of the U.S. to cease fire in the Palestine, which was presented by CIA Director George J. Tenet, early in the morning of June 13.

Arafat accepted yesterday the U.S. plan to stop the bloody clashes in Palestine after continuing talks that had begun in the midst of rumors that Tenet, who had engaged in the intensive negotiations for past ten days, would return without an agreement

However, it was not known to the reporters whether Arafat agreed on specific issues, including the assignment of bumper zones and the arrest of the extremists such as the members of Hamas.

Abu Rudaina, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Authority, announced that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and CIA Director George Tenet reached the agreement on the U.S. plan which is based on the Mitchell report but he did not reveal the details.

Palestine experts analyzed that the Palestinian authority had accepted the U.S. plan to prevent the situation from going worse by supporting the effort of Tenet but both sides would continue on the negotiation for the details.

At the third meeting last week, Tenet requested the Palestinian authority to arrest the members of the extremist groups such as Hamas and Jihad, to establish bumper zone between Israel and the Palestinian territory, to seize the mortars in the Palestinian district, and to stop the attacks to the Jewish settlements.

Tenet also requested Israel to stop attacks on the Palestinian territory, to withdraw its army back to the place where they were before the Intifata, and to stop the aggression to the Palestinian residents.

Israel agreed on the U.S. plan in general but the Palestinian authority had delayed the sign-off the agreement due to the problems of some details.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated, ``Israel accepts the U.S. plan to cease fire perfectly and unconditionally.``

Previously, the Israel military radio reported that the negotiations were broken off because of the Palestinian rejection to the U.S. plan. Israeli daily newspaper Ha’aretz also reported that the Palestinian authority refused to sign on the U.S. plan, calling account of the matter of the request to arrest 20 members of the Islamic terrorist groups, that are, Hamas and Jihad.

Palestinian official said that the Palestinian authority has conditionally agreed on the U.S. plan with exceptions of some details and will continue on the negotiation with Tenet on the details.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is on the visit to the European nations to accompany George W. Bush, will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Simon Peres in Brussels to discuss the cessation of the bloody violation in the Palestine and the peaceful settlements.

Hong Seong-Chul sungchul@donga.com