The Mitchell Committee, investigating the outbreak of the Palestinian war six months ago, met this morning with Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and with Danny Naveh, the Cabinet minister responsible for coordinating its work with the government. Ariel Sharon, rescinding a previous decision, has now decided to cooperate with the committee. This followed the firing of the member who initiated the committee\'s visit to the Temple Mount without Israel\'s permission. In addition, the committee agreed not seek to place blame for the violence, but rather to look for ways to ensure that it does not recur. The committee members, who arrived in Israel today, will meet with Israeli families of Palestinian-terrorism victims this afternoon.
Minister Naveh told Arutz-7 today that the committee has agreed to work with total transparency and not to meet Palestinian officials without informing Israel. The delegation, headed by US Senator George Mitchell, also includes former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland, former US Senator Warren Rudman, and EU High Representative Javier Solana. They will also meet with Prime Minister Sharon, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and representatives of the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces. Mitchell said today that the committee has not yet completed hearing and collecting all evidence, and has therefore not reached any conclusions.
PA Communications Chief Imad Falouji told a PLO rally in southern Lebanon three weeks ago that the present mini-war has nothing to do with Ariel Sharon\'s walk on the Temple Mount - but was rather planned after the peace talks failed in July. \"It [the uprising] had been planned since Arafat\'s return from Camp David, when he turned the tables on the former US president and rejected the American conditions,\" Falouji said.
Minister Naveh told Arutz-7 today that the committee has agreed to work with total transparency and not to meet Palestinian officials without informing Israel. The delegation, headed by US Senator George Mitchell, also includes former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland, former US Senator Warren Rudman, and EU High Representative Javier Solana. They will also meet with Prime Minister Sharon, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and representatives of the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces. Mitchell said today that the committee has not yet completed hearing and collecting all evidence, and has therefore not reached any conclusions.
PA Communications Chief Imad Falouji told a PLO rally in southern Lebanon three weeks ago that the present mini-war has nothing to do with Ariel Sharon\'s walk on the Temple Mount - but was rather planned after the peace talks failed in July. \"It [the uprising] had been planned since Arafat\'s return from Camp David, when he turned the tables on the former US president and rejected the American conditions,\" Falouji said.