World News Sharon, Abbas declare ceasefire

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SHARM EL SHEIK, Egypt (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas returned home to hammer out the details of a ceasefire they declared at a dramatic summit meeting in an Egyptian resort Feb. 8, trying to restore trust in the post-Yasser Arafat era after four years of bloodshed.

Despite the hopeful ambience, the ghost of a 2003 truce that lasted less than two months, and the knowledge that a single serious attack could torpedo this one, hung heavy in the air.

But this time, the ceasefire agreement was accompanied by several concrete goodwill gestures.

Five hundred Palestinian prisoners will be freed by Israel, to be followed by 400 more at a later stage. Also, Israeli troops will complete their handover of five West Bank towns to Palestinian control within three weeks.

The first crack in the optimistic front came from the Islamic Hamas, who said Israel did not fulfill Palestinian demands to release prisoners and halt aggression.

Therefore, they said, the truce is not binding on Hamas.

中東首脳会談で停戦合意

イスラエルのシャロン首相とパレスチナ自治政府のアッバス議長は8日、エジプトで会談し、停戦を宣言した。

Shukan ST: Feb. 18, 2005

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