MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians and Israelis were optimistic last night at the prospect of ceasefire declarations, although the two sides remain divided on what should happen next. For some Israelis a ceasefire is simply an initial step before the Palestinian Authority (PA) dismantles what it calls the "infrastructure of terror".
But Palestinian militants say they have no intention of giving up their weapons until Israel has demonstrated its good faith by releasing Palestinian prisoners and easing the occupation.
Sources close to the PA say that an Israeli insistence on disarming militants would lead to a quick return to hostilities.
Mr Khaled al-Batch, the spokesman for Islamic Jihad, said that a joint declaration by Mr Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, and Mr Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, would be a positive step, but warned that if Israel obstructed the path to a Palestinian state, there would be a return to intifada.
"This will be good for both sides if Israel refrains from violence, assassinations, house demolitions and most important for us, releases our prisoners," he said.
Islamic Jihad is seen as the most extreme Palestinian militant group and its support for Mr Abbas is striking. A Hamas spokesman said that it would study the outcome of the summit.
Israel has agreed to release about 900 of its 8,000 Palestinian prisoners but most of these were held for criminal activity. Israeli ministers are reluctant to release militants. It is these prisoners that Mr al-Batch and others want released.
Mr Zalman Shoval, a foreign affairs adviser to Mr Sharon, agreed with Mr al-Batch that the Sharm al Sheik summit represented an opportunity for peace.
"There is a real chance, but we should not overdo it. The Palestinians need to comply with the first phase of the 'road map' which is about breaking up the terrorist infrastructure and collecting illegal weapons. Palestinian statehood is still a long way off," he said.
Mr Yossi Alpher, an Israeli political analyst, said: "A mutual declaration of violence is the least weighty of the issues. "This is the beginning of a stabilisation process not a peace process." Mr Alpher said the biggest challenge was how to manage withdrawal, particularly from the Gaza Strip. The road map, he said, would have to wait until disengagement has been completed. - (Guardian Service)