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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. (GPO)
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Vilnai: Gaza power cut not meant as punitive measure
By Aluf Benn and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told Israel Radio on Saturday that the government's decision to periodically cut the flow of electricity to the Gaza Strip is another step in Israel's disengaging from responsibility for the area, and is not part of a policy of collective punishment.

Vilnai said he does not expect the latest sanctions to halt the continuing rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, and added that the limits placed on fuel and electricity supplies will be implemented either Sunday or Monday. The decision is pending legal approval.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that Israel would not cut off power to hospitals or cause a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, despite the limited power cuts.
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Olmert made the pledge over a working lunch with Abbas at his Jerusalem residence, a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the meeting was closed to media coverage.

Officials said the meeting was positive and took place in high spirits. The heads of the negotiating teams of the two sides, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former PA prime minister Ahmed Qureia, were also present.

Olmert and Abbas also agreed that the joint statement the Israelis and Palestinians are expected to draft ahead of next month's peace conference would include mention of the U.S.-backed road map for peace.

A disagreement had arisen over the past week regarding the future of the role of the road map, with Israel demanding that any future agreement between the two sides should be implemented in accordance with the stages set out by the plan. Livni reiterated the position in a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley on Thursday.

Israel maintains that any progress toward the establishment of a Palestinian state must meet the first requirement of the plan, which requires Palestinian security to undertake continuous and effective operations to counter terrorism in the territories.

The Palestinians have expressed opposition to conditioning peace talks on the implementation of the road map, out of concern this would delay the political process.

Soon after the two met, Ismail Haniyeh, deposed Palestinian Authority premier and head of the Hamas government in Gaza, said the meetings between Abbas and Olmert were aimed at distracting attention from Israel Defense Forces attacks and sanctions against Gaza. He said the Mideast conference would offer nothing to the Palestinians.

"These meetings have become a cover for the continued aggression against the Palestinian people, Haniyeh said after Friday prayers in Gaza City. We warn against the dangers of falling into the traps of American-Israeli policies," Haniyeh said.

Olmert and Abbas agreed at the end of Friday's meeting to meet again when Livni returns from her trip to China at the end of next week.

Olmert, who dined with Hadley Thursday night, briefed him on his meetings earlier during the week with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The talks between the two negotiating teams are focused on the general framework of the settlement, and the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - Jerusalem, border and refugees - have still not been discussed.

Members of the Palestinian delegation, headed by Qureia, say the PA has fulfilled the first stage of the road map by reorganizing its leadership and government. They also say Israel has failed to meet its commitments during the first stage, especially in failing to remove West Bank outposts.

For its part, the Israeli side says that the Palestinians have done nothing to meet their security obligations, and that the evacuation of outposts does not have the same degree of urgency as maintaining security and containing terrorism.

Meanwhile, the governor of Nablus, Jamal Muhaisel, said Thursday that in two or three weeks the PA will deploy hundreds of national security forces in the city, as part of efforts by the Palestinian government to check criminal behavior in the city.

Several weeks ago Israel authorized the deployment of policemen to the city, but the PA said it was not yet ready.


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      1.   Palestinians cracked down on terrorists? When?! Where?! 06:01  |  Gili 26/10/07
      2.   One of the gaps 06:58  |  JW 26/10/07
      3.   Olmert/Livni- Stop making excuses 13:31  |  A Bethlehemite 26/10/07
      4.   A famous film - A Bridge Too Far 13:58  |  redmike 26/10/07
      5.   Gap that spans the world 14:07  |  Brod 26/10/07
      6.   #3 – the talks are not serious .. 14:45  |  redmike 26/10/07
      7.   cracking 15:43  |  Space 26/10/07
      8.   OLMERT/LIVNI-STOP MAKING EXCUSES 16:41  |  NO JUSTICE NO PEACE 26/10/07
      9.   redmike and the racist initiative 16:50  |  Omar 26/10/07
      10.   redmike and the racist initiative #2 16:58  |  Omar 26/10/07
      11.   The pesky caveat 17:02  |  Goldberg 26/10/07
      12.   The Occupying Party (Israel) is responsible for the people 18:10  |  International Law 26/10/07
      13.   humanitarian crisis 18:10  |  eddie 26/10/07
      14.   WONDERFUL!!! 18:12  |  ballistic 26/10/07
      15.   To Redmike 18:18  |  Edifice 26/10/07
      16.   omert`s promise 18:22  |  marcel 26/10/07
      17.   High Spirits? 18:34  |  Dovy 26/10/07
      18.   LOLZ @ Olmert / There already IS a CRISIS in GAZA 19:08  |  POP 26/10/07
      19.   Palestinians should make their own electricity with with the BIL 19:27  |  Muhamud 26/10/07
      20.   Palestinians continue with rockets against KORAN 19:29  |  Jafar albinshibh 26/10/07
      21.   Cutting off Tel Aviv ? 19:52  |  Jan Elshout 26/10/07
      22.   olmert vows.... 20:03  |  ljf-canada 26/10/07
      23.   #12 Gaza Occupied?? 20:04  |  ralphsrant1 26/10/07
      24.   To #21 Jan Elshout - Palestinians are dying 20:49  |  Dagma 26/10/07
      25.   To International Law # 12 20:53  |  Dolly 26/10/07
      26.   he said that? 20:54  |  ravi 26/10/07
      27.   Olmert, you do not need to vowe 20:55  |  KUTW 26/10/07
      28.   Olmert, tell Abbas not to cause humanitarian crisis in Israel 20:57  |  KUTW 26/10/07
      29.   12. International Law: Israel is not responsible for the terror 21:00  |  KUTW 26/10/07
      30.   Mr/Mrs International Law 21:03  |  David Israel 26/10/07
      31.   PMO inform Abbas that the power cuts is limited 21:24  |  Joseph E . 26/10/07
      32.   To International Law # 12 - Mistaken! 21:30  |  Dolly 26/10/07
      33.   While Sderot`s burning scoundrel Olmert is appeasing Abbas 21:38  |  Absolute Sweden 26/10/07
      34.   Dolly - Sorry, saying it won`t make it so 21:43  |  International Law 26/10/07
      35.   KUTW 21:45  |  International Law 26/10/07
      36.   David Israel - Oh come on! 21:50  |  International Law 26/10/07
      37.   "make them get thin, not die of starvation" 22:10  |  Naftali Lavie 26/10/07
      38.   Olmert & Livni two fools 22:34  |  * BEN JABO 26/10/07
      39.   today`s Walla website edition " how to read arabic newspapers" 22:34  |  Joseph E . 26/10/07
      40.   Two men from opposite sides shaking hands. 22:41  |  Maureen Ann 26/10/07
      41.   International law - All I wrote are doable this is why Turkey off 22:41  |  David Israel 26/10/07
      42.   The idiot Olmert spouts propaganda to deflect US criticism 22:46  |  Clickfool 26/10/07
      43.   Good golly Ms. Dolly! 23:09  |  Man 26/10/07
      44.   Needed:One "humanitarian crisis" 23:34  |  Joseph 26/10/07
      45.   # 30 - you`re joking, of course 23:38  |  Goldberg 26/10/07
      46.   OLMERT SHOULD VOW TO RESIGN ALREADY 23:49  |  THE WARRIOR 26/10/07
      47.   Goldberg - your reply is out of context 00:40  |  David Isarel 27/10/07
      48.   # 12 International Law 00:53  |  Joseph E . 27/10/07
      49.   gaza 00:54  |  tom 27/10/07
      50.   international law,quit crying,the pals wouldn`t have to be 01:15  |  terrornator 27/10/07
      51.   Cite this so-called international law 02:04  |  PK 27/10/07
      52.   RE # 34 and 35 Calling yourself International 02:44  |  MaryRose 27/10/07
      53.   The Existence of Gaza is a Humanitarian Crises 02:47  |  Efox 27/10/07
      54.   # 51 PK @ NYC 03:05  |  Joseph E . 27/10/07
      55.   "Falling into traps" 03:40  |  Avrum 27/10/07
      56.   #36 International Law. You are wrong! 04:54  |  Vittorio 27/10/07
      57.   Really? What the bloody hell does he think is happening now? 05:48  |  peacelover 27/10/07
      58.   re: International Law 06:31  |  Efox 27/10/07
      59.   let`s wake up 07:14  |  thomas 27/10/07
      60.   the Second Holocot 08:02  |  me 27/10/07
      61.   Incongruous heading... 08:59  |  Esther 27/10/07
      62.   Israel does not control the Gaza Strip and has no way to govern 09:13  |  Ehud Yakir 27/10/07
      63.   me 09:37  |  thomas 27/10/07
      64.   Olmert VOWS - First thing he should do is 09:56  |  Dolly 27/10/07
      65.   Olmert VOWS - The only thing Olmert VOWS 10:04  |  Dolly 27/10/07
      66.   What a great government . . . 10:05  |  Kobi 27/10/07
      67.   #61 Esther - "But there is already a humanitarian crisis there.." 10:17  |  Yonatan 27/10/07
      68.   What a champion 10:22  |  TonyL 27/10/07
      69.   #57 peacelover - Follow photos of Gaza more closely 10:23  |  Yonatan 27/10/07
      70.   #63 thomas - On "holding emotions" 10:30  |  Yonatan 27/10/07
      71.   The Gaza humanitarian crisis 10:50  |  Dav 27/10/07
      72.   For Yonatan #67, also 69,70 11:29  |  Esther 27/10/07
      73.   To Dav # 71 - No Humanitariuan Crisis in Gaza 11:56  |  Dagma 27/10/07
      74.   #72 Esther 12:07  |  Yonatan 27/10/07
      75.   #72 Esther - What about #70? 12:09  |  Yonatan 27/10/07
      76.   #69 SHOW US THE PICTURES 13:02  |  waiting 27/10/07
      77.   Zionism has replaced Judaism in Israel 13:02  |  Boycott 27/10/07
      78.   The Suffering Servant in Gaza 13:05  |  Jimmy 27/10/07
      79.   kassams are falling! where are the power and fuel cuts?! 13:21  |  redmike 27/10/07