Erekat, a senior aide to PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, said it was crucial for the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the PA to be upheld, and acknowledged that not all the PA terrorists had kept their end of the deal. He asked Israelis to have patience despite the violations of the truce, which went into effect at 6:00 a.m. Sunday.
Within hours after the ceasefire began, five rockets were fired at the western Negev, most slamming into city of Sderot. Monday’s attack was also aimed at Sderot, a community which has been the target of close to 2,000 Kassam rockets over the past year.
“I admit there were Palestinian violations,” Erekat said in an interview with Channel 2 Television, [and] let me condemn them.” The former negotiator at peace talks with Israel in past years said the process of enforcing the ceasefire might be difficult, but is essential for quiet in the region.
“I know how much trust you have in us, but what other road do we have? This can work, and I believe we have to make it work,” he said.
Erekat was not the only non-Israeli concerned about the terrorist violations. Israel Radio reported that outgoing United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan also expressed concern over the threats to the shaky truce.
Arab MKs have also called upon the Gaza terrorists to respect the ceasefire, while at the same time blaming the Israeli "occupation" as the root of all evil.
Within the Jewish State, Israel Defense Forces officers are particularly concerned that the ceasefire time may be used by terrorists as a lull in which they can re-arm and increase its training activities.
Similar tactics were used by Hizbullah guerilla fighters in the six years following Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, resulting in a five-week war this summer that left hundreds dead and thousands injured on both sides.
Two IDF reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, were kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists at the outset of the war. Their condition and whereabouts remain unknown.
Two weeks earlier, Hamas terrorists operating from Gaza kidnapped an IDF soldier in a cross-border raid on an army outpost near the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The whereabouts and condition of the officer, Gilad Shalit, are also unknown.
Within hours after the ceasefire began, five rockets were fired at the western Negev, most slamming into city of Sderot. Monday’s attack was also aimed at Sderot, a community which has been the target of close to 2,000 Kassam rockets over the past year.
“I admit there were Palestinian violations,” Erekat said in an interview with Channel 2 Television, [and] let me condemn them.” The former negotiator at peace talks with Israel in past years said the process of enforcing the ceasefire might be difficult, but is essential for quiet in the region.
“I know how much trust you have in us, but what other road do we have? This can work, and I believe we have to make it work,” he said.
Erekat was not the only non-Israeli concerned about the terrorist violations. Israel Radio reported that outgoing United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan also expressed concern over the threats to the shaky truce.
Arab MKs have also called upon the Gaza terrorists to respect the ceasefire, while at the same time blaming the Israeli "occupation" as the root of all evil.
Within the Jewish State, Israel Defense Forces officers are particularly concerned that the ceasefire time may be used by terrorists as a lull in which they can re-arm and increase its training activities.
Similar tactics were used by Hizbullah guerilla fighters in the six years following Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, resulting in a five-week war this summer that left hundreds dead and thousands injured on both sides.
Two IDF reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, were kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists at the outset of the war. Their condition and whereabouts remain unknown.
Two weeks earlier, Hamas terrorists operating from Gaza kidnapped an IDF soldier in a cross-border raid on an army outpost near the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The whereabouts and condition of the officer, Gilad Shalit, are also unknown.