Palestinian rockets in Gaza may still be flying, and their bombs still exploding, but that hasn’t stopped Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from agreeing to make a series of “gestures” to Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Abu Mazen.

Just yesterday, the Palestinians fired two mortar rounds at the Jewish community of Neveh Dekalim and opened fire on Israeli army posts at Gadid and Rafiach Yam. In addition, four explosive devices that had been planted by Palestinians next to Rafah were discovered and neutralized by the IDF.

Nonetheless, in advance of next week’s summit meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Sharon convened a meeting of several ministers this morning, where it was decided to free 900 Palestinian security prisoners and turn over control of 5 cities in Judea and Samaria to the PA.

And so, simply for reducing the level of anti-Israel violence (reducing, not eliminating!), the Palestinians are being rewarded handsomely by Sharon – who is once again sending them the message that violence does indeed pay, and quite well at that.