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| By Israel Insider staff March 30, 2008 |
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| Rice and Livni demonstrate their moves at a press conference in Jerusalem, March 30, 2008 (Flash90) |
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Ynet cites an Israeli source as saying that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was 'amazed' by Israeli concessions offered to Palestinians during a three-way meeting with defense minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad.
During the meeting, the US secretary of state received a 35-page booklet in English, prepared by Barak's assistants in three days. Barak had demanded that the booklet include a series of real gestures, which would "manifest Israel's seriousness" but "without harming the security of Israel's citizens." Ynet reported that the Israeli "gestures" include establishment of a city near the West Bank city of Ramallah, to be financed by a Jordanian businessman.
Rice told Barak during the three-way meeting that she welcomed the booklet containing the 35 pages of "gestures."
It seems, however, that the Palestinians were less amazed. The Palestinian leader refused to allow publication of a joint Palestinian-Israeli-American statement, which Barak has supported.
Earlier, Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni met with US secretary of state in Jerusalem and said that the government must assist residents of Judea and Samaria who choose to leave their homes, but that it would be premature to put forward such a program until borders were defined.
The defense minister said during the meeting that Israel planned to remove the Mevo Horon outpost, in addition to two other outposts already removed.
Barak also said that 700 Palestinian police officers would be allowed to enter Jenin. He added that a checkpoint and 50 dirt roadblocks would be removed, easing movement among the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Ramallah.
Additional concessions presented in the meeting, according to ynet, include:
* The establishment of a Palestinian police station in the B areas.
* The transfer of 25 armored vehicles to the Palestinians.
* Ease of restriction on Palestinian public figures.
* Building two intersections for the Palestinians in the Hebron area.
* Advancing the establishment of industrial zones in Jericho and Hebron.
* Increasing the number of laborers allowed to work in Israel to 5,000.
In addition, Palestinian businesspeople passing through the crossing will undergo easier security checks, and the daily quota of people allowed to pass will be tripled.
Israeli sources said the Palestinians agreed to step up their efforts to "prevent terror" in the West Bank, but Fayyad or other Palestinian made no public statements on this point. Nor did they commit to any concrete measures to increase the effort against terrorism.
Rice, who has harshly criticized both sides for lack of "progress" in recent months, sounded upbeat, despite the lack of a joint statement.
"We all want to work hard for the improvements that can lead to a successful conclusion of the Annapolis process," said Rice at a press conference with Barak and Fayad following their meeting.
"We have just had a very good meeting. We are discussing the situation on the ground and the importance of improvement in that situation along the lines of one of the Annapolis tracks. I am pleased to say that the two gentlemen have met before I was here and they have said they will continue to meet as is necessary," she said. |
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