Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 06, 2008 Adar1 29, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:29 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaking at a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (AP) Last update - 03:19 06/03/2008 Israeli, Palestinian negotiating teams likely to meet Thursday By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Gaza, Tzipi Livni  The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams are likely to meet Thursday, following Wednesday's announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem of resumption in talks. The talks were interrupted at the beginning of the week due to the escalation in Gaza. Rice made her announcement at a joint press conference in Jerusalem with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Advertisement The committee, whose purpose is to monitor the implementation of the road map, is chaired by Gen. William Fraser, who was appointed by Rice. Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad are also onboard. Rice told the press conference she was concerned about the situation in the West Bank. She said that so far the parties had not done enough to meet their obligations according to the road map in terms of the Palestinians fighting terror and the Israelis evacuating outposts. She said the tripartate committee on security, headed by Gen. Fraser, would meet for the first time next Thursday. Rice said Hamas was holding the people of Gaza hostage and was now "trying to make the path to a Palestinian state hostage to them. And we cannot permit that." Rice also said that "the rocket attacks against Israel ought to stop. And as I've said, as Israel defends itself, Israel also needs to be very careful about innocent people who get caught in the crossfire, about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza." Livni told the press conference that "since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, we adopted a dual strategy. And when I say we, I mean the international community and, of course, the United States of America, Israel, and the pragmatic leaders in the Palestinian Authority. The idea is to work with diplomatic leaders, to try and reach a peace treaty with them, while simultaneously working in order to delegitimize Hamas as a terrorist organization and to find an answer to these terror attacks coming from the Gaza Strip to Israel." She said that "in facing the threat coming from the Gaza Strip, it is important to understand that Israel left the Gaza Strip, we dismantled settlements, we took our forces out. So it's not part of our ideology to be there, but we need to give an answer to the lives and to security of Israeli citizens who are under daily attack from the Gaza Strip." Meetings between the Israeli and Palestinian representatives on the resumption of talks are taking place on three levels: meetings between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Abbas, between Livni and Ahmad Qureia on the core issues, and work groups consisting of experts from both parties on various civil issues. A meeting is apparently to take place on Thursday between one of the working groups or between Livni's and Qureia's advisers. The Olmert-Abbas meeting will apparently be held next week. Related articles: Bush says optimistic Israel-PA peace deal possible in 2008 Abbas: I'm ready to negotiate a truce between Israel, Hamas White House blames Hamas for sparking violence in south Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Halimi, relived A Jewish teen is tortured where Ilan Halimi died in similar circumstances. Bus-bomb capital Four buses designed to thwart suicide bombings are tested in J'lem.   1.   NO to crap talk 01:25  |  Brod 06/03/08   2.   peace talks/warfare to go on. u can`t h. 02:01  |  bozhidar 06/03/08   3.   The Jews must first solve their own trauma 02:54  |  Babidu 06/03/08   4.   For Babidu # 3 09:08  |  Fortuna Benmayor 06/03/08   5.   mopre hot air over the med. 90 years of warming 10:32  |  v hardman 06/03/08   6.   to no 3 atrocities 10:40  |  Tina 06/03/08   7.   It is high time to talk about 242 within which to transfer the... 13:17  |  Avihu 06/03/08   8.   Ramallah and Tel-Aviv are liars. 14:18  |  El-Birawi 06/03/08   9.   Rocket diplomacy 18:57  |  Chrisona 06/03/08

Today Online Olmert: Talks with Syria worth serious consideration Responses: 76 Settlers agree to leave several illegal West Bank outposts Responses: 65 Gaza humanitarian situation said at worst point since 1967 Responses: 116 Soldier killed in strike on IDF jeep near Gaza border Responses: 56 Hamas: Cease-fire deal with Israel must include West Bank Responses: 27 Rosner's Domain What does the American voter want? Dennis Ross: I am not an Obama advisor (WTR) Americans have a favorable view of Israel. Democrats, less so Poll: Should Abbas and Olmert continue their talks? Rosner's Mailbox: McCain is a trimmer Sharon More Headlines 19:29 At least one wounded as Qassam hits Sderot house 18:20 Hamas: Cease-fire deal must include West Bank 18:03 Soldier killed, three others hurt in attack on IDF jeep near Gaza border 14:41 Olmert: Talks with Syria worth serious consideration 14:28 Three held in Manila over plot to bomb U.S., Israeli embassies 18:08 Those who left Hillary for dead, get ready for a long fight 18:27 U.K. Jewish school sued for barring pupil over conversion 11:59 Who leaked the details of a CIA-Mossad plot against Iran? 18:41 Muslim states call on UN rights body to condemn IDF's Gaza incursion 12:33 Barak refuses to exempt 1,000 Haredi men from army service 19:03 Syria, Iran sign eight memorandums of understanding 13:59 U.S. urges citizens in Lebanon to keep low profile, fearing attack Previous Editions Select Day 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb

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