With the hudna showing signs of limping along more slowly day by day, and with the PA taking no action to disarm the terrorists, and amidst PA and terrorist threats that Israel had better release thousands of terrorists - the U.S. is turning to Israel to extricate the process from the mire. John Wolfe, the latest special American envoy to take on the Israeli-PA conflict as his project, will meet with Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz today. Wolfe is expected to ask Mofaz to have Israel speed up the dismantling of Yesha outposts and to release additional terrorists. Wait, there's more: Wolfe will also ask Israel to remove IDF checkpoints in various areas in Yesha, as a "gesture" towards the PA. The checkpoints serve a crucial purpose in the war against terrorism.
U.S. Ambassador Dan Kurtzer met with Mofaz this morning, and raised similar "requests" of Israel.
In yet another effort to strengthen Abu Mazen, the Americans are expected to transfer some $20 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority.
Abu Mazen, taking very personally the criticism launched against him for not having succeeded in getting Israel to free the prisoners - even though this is not an element of the Road Map - has resigned from the Fatah Central Committee. It is assumed that he will rescind his resignation after mutually agreeable arrangements are made.
Meanwhile, following the revelation that hudna-signatory Islamic Jihad was responsible for the murderous attack on Mazal Afari in her home on Monday night, the Prime Minister's Bureau announced last night, "The hudna is not worth the paper it's written on." The Jihad continues to warn, in a most Orwellian style, that although the hudna is still in force, it will continue to perpetrate attacks against Israel unless all the terrorists are released. Israel is currently willing to release some 400 prisoners, while the Arabs demand 6,500.
Egyptian officials will arrive in Gaza today, in an attempt to get the terrorist organizations to continue the hudna.
The IDF continues its counter-terrorism war. An undercover force arrested a Tanzim terrorist in the Shomron on his way to perpetrate a suicide attack. Arabs opened fire at the soldiers during the operation, and one of the attackers was hit by the return fire. No Israelis were hurt.
U.S. Ambassador Dan Kurtzer met with Mofaz this morning, and raised similar "requests" of Israel.
In yet another effort to strengthen Abu Mazen, the Americans are expected to transfer some $20 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority.
Abu Mazen, taking very personally the criticism launched against him for not having succeeded in getting Israel to free the prisoners - even though this is not an element of the Road Map - has resigned from the Fatah Central Committee. It is assumed that he will rescind his resignation after mutually agreeable arrangements are made.
Meanwhile, following the revelation that hudna-signatory Islamic Jihad was responsible for the murderous attack on Mazal Afari in her home on Monday night, the Prime Minister's Bureau announced last night, "The hudna is not worth the paper it's written on." The Jihad continues to warn, in a most Orwellian style, that although the hudna is still in force, it will continue to perpetrate attacks against Israel unless all the terrorists are released. Israel is currently willing to release some 400 prisoners, while the Arabs demand 6,500.
Egyptian officials will arrive in Gaza today, in an attempt to get the terrorist organizations to continue the hudna.
The IDF continues its counter-terrorism war. An undercover force arrested a Tanzim terrorist in the Shomron on his way to perpetrate a suicide attack. Arabs opened fire at the soldiers during the operation, and one of the attackers was hit by the return fire. No Israelis were hurt.