Although CIA Director George Tenet did not succeed in hammering out an agreed-upon ceasefire between Israel and the PLO, both sides have agreed to act as if some agreement has been reached. What this means is that the sides agree to disagree, for instance, on the matter of the arrest of wanted Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists; Israel will not insist that they be arrested within the next two days - but Palestinian elements say they will never be arrested. Israel insists that there be absolutely no violence for the next 48 hours. If this in fact occurs, and if Israel sees that steps are being taken to reduce media incitement and prevent terrorism, the IDF will begin redeploying its soldiers and removing encirclements; the question of the arrest of the terrorists will then be raised again. Tenet left Israel this afternoon.
The Palestinians are already promising not to adhere to the ceasefire, both in word and deed. Marwan Bargouti, Tanzim head and leader of Arafat\'s Fatah organization in Judea and Samaria, said today that the ceasefire agreement applies only to the areas under total Palestinian control - but that in other areas, the Palestinians will \"escalate their attacks and the intifada.\" Spokesmen for Islamic Jihad and Hamas similarly said that they do not accept the ceasefire, and that they will continue with the intifada. Other PA officials said they would not arrest wanted Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorists, nor will they form the required buffer zones between their forces and Israel\'s.
The Palestinians are already promising not to adhere to the ceasefire, both in word and deed. Marwan Bargouti, Tanzim head and leader of Arafat\'s Fatah organization in Judea and Samaria, said today that the ceasefire agreement applies only to the areas under total Palestinian control - but that in other areas, the Palestinians will \"escalate their attacks and the intifada.\" Spokesmen for Islamic Jihad and Hamas similarly said that they do not accept the ceasefire, and that they will continue with the intifada. Other PA officials said they would not arrest wanted Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorists, nor will they form the required buffer zones between their forces and Israel\'s.