Israeli and Palestinian Authority negotiating teams met for over three hours last night, for the first meeting of this sort in several months. On the agenda: The search for ways to make life easier for the civilian population of the PA as the Israeli military hold on these areas continues. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Minister Danny Naveh, Gen. Amos Gilad, and Finance Ministry Director Ohad Marani represented Israel in the talks. They proposed an increase in the number of workers allowed to cross into pre-\'67 Israel, and freer movement for international aid agencies and for Arab merchants. Israel is also willing to release 10% of the PA tax monies it froze over the past several months, if an appropriate supervisory mechanism can be found.
The Israelis emphasized that the ongoing terrorism - \"attempts to attack Israeli cities are going on even as we are sitting here,\" Naveh said - is what is preventing the rebuilding of relations and the easing of restrictions. Another meeting will be held in the coming days.
The Israelis emphasized that the ongoing terrorism - \"attempts to attack Israeli cities are going on even as we are sitting here,\" Naveh said - is what is preventing the rebuilding of relations and the easing of restrictions. Another meeting will be held in the coming days.