Although the international community expects Abu Mazen to dismantle the terrorist organizations, all three of the main ones - Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and even the Al-Aksa Brigades under the direct command of Yasser Arafat - have announced that they have no plans to disarm or to “give up their fight against the conquest.” Abu Hamid, Al-Aksa commander in Gaza, said he would not disarm “even if the order comes from Abu Mazen or Muhammad Dahlan.”

At today’s Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Sharon’s Bureau Director Dov Weisglass, who recently returned from talks in Washington, said that he presented the Americans with Israel’s 15 objections to the Road Map plan. Specifically, Israel insists that the upcoming talks deal only with the interim agreement, and not the final-status arrangements, and that Israel not be required to make concessions before the PA shows results in its promised war against terrorism.

Mr. Sharon told the ministers once again today that he is totally committed to reaching a diplomatic agreement with the PA. Ministers such as Education Minister Limor Livnat and Uzi Landau expressed strong reservations. Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, speaking on behalf of his party’s five ministers, promised their full support for the Road Map plan when Sharon presents it to the government.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 28th, 2003 and is filed under hotnews.