MIDDLE EAST: Newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday he was close to securing a ceasefire deal with militant groups for an end to attacks on Israelis, while Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon indicated he would halt all military actions if calm prevailed.
Mr Abbas, who has been in Gaza for the last five days talking to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other armed groups about a truce, said "there has been significant progress in the talks. Our differences have diminished, and therefore we are bound to reach an agreement very soon."
He reiterated his demand that Israel end all military operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Militants have said they will only agree to a truce if Israel fulfils this demand.
Mr Sharon's talk of suspending military actions if militants put down their weapons was echoed by Defence Minister Mr Shaul Mofaz.
"As long as there is quiet, there is no reason why we should act, certainly not while Abu Mazen (Abbas) is taking his first steps," Mr Mofaz said.
But the Israeli prime minister also warned that the army was ready to respond swiftly if rocket attacks by militants on the southern Israeli town of Sderot resumed.
"I hope that the quiet will continue, and if not, the IDF and the security forces will continue to do everything in order to remove the threat from residents here," Mr Sharon told ministers, who held their weekly cabinet meeting in Sderot yesterday in a gesture of solidarity with the rocket-hit town.
The number of attacks in the territories has dropped markedly since Mr Abbas headed for Gaza last Tuesday, following several days of rocket fire into Israel and threats by Israel to launch an extensive raid in the Strip.
Under orders from the Palestinian leader, over 1,000 policemen began deploying on Friday in northern Gaza to prevent the firing of rockets into Israel.
Mr Abbas is hoping that by ending violence he will be able to revive the moribund "road map" peace plan.
Referring to a possible meeting with Mr Sharon, he said that "implementation of the first phase of the road map" should be on the agenda, and that the Israeli leader's plan to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza in the summer should "be a start or a continuation of implementing the road map."
Neither side has fulfilled the stipulations of the first stage of the internationally-backed plan, which requires that Israel freeze settlements and that the Palestinians subdue armed groups.
The plan is meant to culminate with the creation of a Palestinian state.
Mr Abbas signalled yesterday that he would not immediately take up an invitation to visit the White House.
"There are a number of actions that need to be taken on the ground by both us and the Israelis, then I'll go (to the US) to discuss the political issues," he said.
By halting violence and carrying out security and political reforms, Mr Abbas is hoping he will be able to win American support for the Palestinians which eroded under the rule of Yasser Arafat, who was held largely responsible for the violence by President Bush.