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PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (GPO)
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Top PA official: Israel approved import of 50 armored vehicles
By Barak Ravid and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents, and The Associated Press
Tags: Ehud Olmert, Mahmoud Abbas 

Palestinians have received Israeli permission to import 50 Russian-made armored personnel carriers into the West Bank next month, after resolving a dispute with Israel over arming the vehicles, the top Palestinian security official said Thursday.

Palestinian Interior Minister Abdel Razzak al-Yahya said the Palestinians dropped a request to mount machine guns on the vehicles, after Israel objected to the move, clearing the way for the deal to proceed.

Israeli officials had no immediate comment.
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The arrival of the vehicles would be the latest step in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' efforts to impose law and order in the West Bank. The U.S.-backed road map peace plan requires the Palestinians to rein in militants in the area as a first step toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

Al-Yahya said his forces have made important strides, confiscating weapons from Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants and reining in the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed group linked to Abbas' Fatah movement.

"The situation now is much better, but we still need more weapons to enhance our forces," he said. "No one will be allowed to possess weapons besides the security forces."

U.S. and European Union security advisers have been training Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, part of an international effort to strengthen Abbas in his struggle against the rival Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.

PM to Abbas: Israel will not erect any new settlements in W. Bank
Israel will not build any new settlements and will stop expropriating land in the West Bank, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a meeting in Jerusalem on Thursday.

Olmert told Abbas that Israel "will take no steps that will hurt our ability to arrive at final status negotiations with the Palestinians," and added that Israel wants to carry out the negotiations "in good faith."

The meeting between was the leaders' first since the Annapolis summit last month. It was called as an attempt to solve the so-called settlement crisis that has plagued negotiations since the Annapolis summit late last month.

The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former prime minister Ahmed Qureia, respectively, also participated in the meeting.

"We want to change the direction of the negotiations," an official in Jerusalem said. "The first two meetings of the negotiating teams failed and we would want to see positive progress."

"We attach great importance to our dialogue with the Palestinian leadership and we understand that the process is challenging," Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said ahead of the meeting at the prime minister's residence. "Israel is committed to doing everything we can to make this process work."

The key bone of contention between the two sides is Israel's continued construction in the settlements. The Palestinians are particularly upset over a tender by the Housing Ministry for the construction of 307 housing units in the southeast Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, on the Palestinian side of the Green Line.

A senior official in Jerusalem said both sides are waiting for President George W. Bush's visit to the region in January in the hope that the U.S. leader's arrival will push the process towards a breakthrough.

Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh said the Palestinian president appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to press Israel on the issue of settlement construction when Rice called on Wednesday.

A State Department spokesman said Rice called both Abbas and Olmert and urged them to make progress toward an agreement.

Hamas, which is not party to the talks, pronounced Thursday's meeting a waste of time.

"Olmert and his government continue their daily aggressions against our people, continue to build settlements, and don't recognize Palestinian political and national rights," the group said in a faxed statement.

Israel: Olmert not informed of Har Homa decision beforehand
In the framework of the mutual accusations between the two parties, the Palestinians are trying to portray Israel as intransigent in its refusal to stop its settlements while trying to establish a fait accompli.

Official sources in Jerusalem say the Har Homa imbroglio is the result of a decision by low-ranking government bureaucrats in the Housing Ministry. They say that Olmert was not informed of the decision in advance, but on the international front, these explanations do not seem to be enlisting much support.

Moreover, the Har Homa affair exposed the differences in the perceptions that both parties adhere to. As far as Israel is concerned, the neighborhood is an integral part of unified Jerusalem, and not part of the territories.

Construction at Har Homa is not subject to the same bureaucratic maze that any construction in the territories - be it a house, shack or electricity line - must endure before it is approved.

The Palestinians and their supporters in the international community do not make that distinction. To them, any Israeli construction east of the Green Line, which was Israel's border before the 1967 Six-Day War, is an illegal settlement. They treat construction in East Jerusalem much the same as they treat construction in the settlement blocs in the West Bank.

To the Palestinians, construction in the territories is an obstacle to peace and an act that jeopardizes the negotiations. In addition, the Palestinians realize that Israel - which is expecting its first visit by Bush next month - is at a disadvantage internationally as far as settlements are concerned. Their objective is to dominate the headlines until Bush arrives.

But the problem goes deeper than head-butting in the media. Israel has demanded that the Palestinians fulfill their duties according to the road map plan for peace, which the U.S. devised for both parties. But Israel has failed to meet its own obligations such as the evacuation of settlements, a total freeze on all construction in the territories and allowing the Palestinians to reopen their institutions in East Jerusalem.

Each of these moves carries a political price that could cause Olmert's coalition partners - mainly Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu - to jeopardize his government. Meanwhile, the government is opting for inaction until after Bush's visit.

Related articles:
  • Akiva Eldar / The Har Homa Test
  • U.S. wants details on plan to build homes in East Jerusalem
  • Palestinians slam Israeli move to build new homes in E. Jerusalem
  • Government officials: Har Homa row sparked by 'two bureaucrats'
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      1.   olmert to abbas`how much do you want?` 04:28  |  observer 26/12/07
      2.   Defuse? 04:30  |  Mark Lincoln 26/12/07
      3.   This is the quintessence 04:36  |  Mark Lincoln 26/12/07
      4.   Har Homa 04:39  |  Shmuelshachor 26/12/07
      5.   Who does this Reporter Work For? 04:40  |  Sam Weinstein 26/12/07
      6.   Do I believe most Israelis want to be 04:45  |  Mark Lincoln 26/12/07
      7.   defuse homa 05:11  |  marcel 26/12/07
      8.   No more Israeli Squatter Housing on stolen land. End Apartheid 05:12  |  * BEN JABO 26/12/07
      9.   It`s time to allow the RIGHT OF RETURN to Palestinians!! 05:40  |  GABE1 26/12/07
      10.   Deal: Every kassam Abbas stops, Olmert builds 1 less apartment! 05:55  |  Dr. L. Brnd 26/12/07
      11.   Mark Lincon 05:59  |  Edifice 26/12/07
      12.   #6 mark lincoln`s TWISTED morals and history 06:09  |  CK Tan 26/12/07
      13.   #6 mark lincoln`s TWISTED morals and history 06:11  |  CK Tan 26/12/07
      14.   Construction at Har Homa. 07:27  |  sandra chitayat 26/12/07
      15.   JERUSALEM IS NOT FOR SALE! 08:07  |  AVRAHAM 26/12/07
      16.   Action speaks louder than words (part 1001) 08:10  |  Natallie Durson 26/12/07
      17.   Quintessance 08:12  |  Jack 26/12/07
      18.   Green Line Was A Cease Fire line , Not a Border 08:20  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      19.   When Asked Land For Peace ,We Say Lets Do Without Peace 08:26  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      20.   Olmert Gov`t Will Stay As Long As it Fights Back Arab Occupation 08:38  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      21.   Olmert Gov`t Will Stay As Long As it Rejects Meretz Policies 08:42  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      22.   Olmert Gov`t Will Stay As Long As Not Influenced By Int`l Opinion 08:43  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      23.   Olmert Gov`t To Stay If Acts on, Promote Mainstream Zionist Ethos 08:49  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      24.   Olmert Gov`t To Stay If Reject Meretz & Left Destructive Policies 08:50  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      25.   PM,Abbas to meet in bid to defuse Har Homa spat 08:53  |  Martin List, M.D. 26/12/07
      26.   Israel Defensible Border = Increase Biblical Hills Settlements 08:54  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      27.   Mark Lincoln found orders for new settlements 09:56  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/12/07
      28.   Olmert leading Israel to defeat 10:07  |  Moshe 26/12/07
      29.   Ban Hard Hats... Achieve Peace 10:10  |  Klaudia 26/12/07
      30.   #27, Margie in Tel Aviv, the sharp eyed 10:36  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/12/07
      31.   #29, Klaudia 10:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/12/07
      32.   #6 mark 10:45  |  danny 26/12/07
      33.   A 40 YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF MILES SETTLEMENTS 10:52  |  indrajaya 26/12/07
      34.   8,9. FAKE* BEN JABO &GABE1ALERTS 11:02  |  Eylo 26/12/07
      35.   Let them build ! They`ll end up in Arab hands at the end 11:05  |  Hypocrisy Monitor 26/12/07
      36.   Israeli security held hostage by Lieberman 11:09  |  Ivar 26/12/07
      37.   Haaretz censured me for repeating Mark Lincoln`s - see below 11:17  |  S 26/12/07
      38.   Opting for Inaction? 11:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/12/07
      39.   Well stated, 16, Durson! Add Lieberman`s veto over peace too 11:32  |  Ivar 26/12/07
      40.   When building or economic development kills anything ? 12:33  |  Sal 26/12/07
      41.   response to Ben jabo 12:37  |  stern 26/12/07
      42.   It`s about hightime the two low-rank bureaucrats headed the ..... 13:23  |  zmogus 26/12/07
      43.   # 1. Observer......................! 13:32  |  Stephen. 26/12/07
      44.   "They`ll end up in Arab hands" was said in 1948 when the Arab 13:53  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/12/07
      45.   Let the US handle that Abbas. 14:01  |  Sarah L 26/12/07
      46.   Gabe! is right 14:25  |  Jacob 26/12/07
      47.   Margie seeks "evidence" of world wide news. 14:33  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      48.   #27 Margie So called peace seeker wrong again 14:51  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      49.   Margie in TA on her facts 14:52  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/12/07
      50.   I am upset that the Arabs bomb S`derot daily 14:55  |  Steven 26/12/07
      51.   to Mrak Lincoln of Houston #1 14:56  |  Hilda 26/12/07
      52.   Hilda, Hilda, Hilda, Hilda 15:10  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/12/07
      53.   #9 Gabe 1 making progress 15:10  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      54.   JERUSALEM BELONGS TO ME 15:13  |  ... 26/12/07
      55.   #15, AVRAHAM, my thief buddy ! 15:16  |  ... 26/12/07
      56.   Cipora #31. 15:18  |  Hubal 26/12/07
      57.   GUYS ! WHAT IS THIS ARTICLE ABOUT 15:18  |  ... 26/12/07
      58.   Israeli settlements 15:19  |  David Kass 26/12/07
      59.   #53 labarse gets it right at last return to saudi arabia 15:22  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      60.   The pattern is very clear 15:23  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      61.   #41 stern in JHB 15:23  |  Labhras the Irishman 26/12/07
      62.   Guys :) 15:25  |  ... 26/12/07
      63.   #59 Victorpaul Harrisman memory problems 15:39  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      64.   #60 Tosefta 15:46  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      65.   #63 labarse the route to saudi is through jordan 15:58  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      66.   Hilda #51 15:58  |  Hubal 26/12/07
      67.   58, David, I hope you inform your US congressmen about it 16:01  |  Ivar 26/12/07
      68.   Indeed blockheaded (Labhras #64) 16:05  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      69.   #41...stern..come here often? 16:29  |  Nemesis 26/12/07
      70.   Two Illlustrous Leaders and Their Problem 16:47  |  Anton 26/12/07
      71.   Tosefta # 60 And Then Annapolis Came And Went 16:52  |  Jeff Northridge 26/12/07
      72.   The Prize is a contract to Ahmed Qurai 16:57  |  El-Birawi 26/12/07
      73.   No, Jeff Nothridge, not that scenario 17:14  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/12/07
      74.   Abbas` Fate: Exile or Assassination 17:17  |  Khalid 26/12/07
      75.   Chinese wisdom for Jeff Northridge #71 17:24  |  Jee Peh Toh 26/12/07
      76.   indrajaya # 33 About A Sixth 17:24  |  Jeff Northridge 26/12/07
      77.   To Gepetto 17:32  |  Jiminy Cricket