Talks bring no truce, but hope remains

The groups want Israel to promise to halt military strikes, but Israel refuses.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Egyptian mediators summoned all Palestinian militias today in a final push to persuade them to halt attacks on Israelis, but a Hamas leader said that "now is not the time for a truce" and Israel's foreign minister demanded the militias be crushed, not courted.
Despite the tough statements by Hamas, Palestinian officials were optimistic that a deal can be announced very soon. "I hope we'll get some answers [from the militias] tomorrow," said Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath.
Guarantees
The Egyptians told militia leaders they have American guarantees that Israel will halt targeted killings of Palestinians suspected of involvement in violence, participants in the talks said.
The armed groups have said they will consider disarming only if Israel promises to halt military strikes, including targeted killings. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would not make blanket promises.
After today's talks, an Egyptian diplomatic official said Egypt was seeking firmer guarantees from the United States, possibly in writing, that Israel will halt targeted killings. The mediators will report to Washington and the so-called Quartet of mediators on the meetings with the militants, the official said.
Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv declined to comment on whether Washington has given such guarantees.
No compromise
Sharon reiterated today that he would not compromise on Israel's security.
"As long as terror continues, we shall continue to act and I have no intention of changing my position," Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told legislators from his Likud party today.
Late Sunday, Israeli and Palestinian security officials met in Gaza to work out the details of an Israeli troop pullback, to positions held before the outbreak of fighting in September 2000.
Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan and a senior Israeli defense official, Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad, discussed such a withdrawal over the weekend.
Sharon told his Cabinet on Sunday that he would not initiate military strikes in the event of a cease-fire, but would continue targeting "ticking bombs," a term widely understood as referring to militants about to carry out attacks.
However, Israeli officials later said Sharon defines "ticking bombs" much more broadly and that it includes those who send bombers and other attackers. This would lower Israel's threshold for continuing with targeted killings.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom rejected today the idea of a deal with Hamas, saying Palestinian security forces have to dismantle militias, as required by a U.S.-backed plan, the "road map" to Palestinian statehood by 2005.
Shalom said a truce would simply allow militant groups to recover from Israeli strikes. "We can't accept this [a cease-fire]," Shalom told Israel Radio.
Cease-fire expected
Palestinian Authority officials said today they expect a cease-fire to be declared soon, and sources close to the talks said such an announcement could be made within 48 hours.
"We are optimistic about reaching an agreement," said Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr, but declined to say how soon it would be reached.
There were conflicting reports on whether the Egyptians proposed an open-ended truce or a limited cease-fire for several months. Going into the talks, leaders of Palestinian factions said they are ready to consider halting attacks in Israel, but not in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Such a partial truce would be unacceptable to Israel, the United States and Egypt.
The Egyptian mediators, assistants to Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, held separate talks with various Palestinian factions, including Hamas, in Gaza on Sunday. Today, the mediators convened representatives of 13 factions.
After today's session, Ismail Abu Shanab, a Hamas leader, said it was premature to talk about a cease-fire. "Now is not a time for truce. It is time for solidarity and standing united against Israeli attacks on our people," he said.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas was to hold talks with the militia leaders in Gaza later today. Abbas has said that he would not use force to dismantle the groups, for fear of triggering a civil war.
Trying for truce
Egypt has tried repeatedly in recent months to work out a truce, a so-called "hudna," but was rebuffed each time by Hamas, the largest and deadliest of the militias, whose lead the other armed groups have followed.
The latest talks come after a bloody week in which more than 60 people on both sides were killed in bombings, shootings and missile strikes, and Hamas threatened multiple attacks in retaliation for Israel's attempt to kill one of the group's leaders, Abdel Aziz Rantisi. He was wounded.
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