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Last update - 02:41 12/03/2008 Hamas-Israel deal would put Abbas' men at Gaza crossings By Avi Issacharoff Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel  A deal being formulated between Israel, Egypt and Hamas involves deploying Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' troops at the crossings with the Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources told Haaretz yesterday. According to the sources, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the Egyptian proposal to deploy Palestinian Authority Presidential Guard members along the Karni, Sufa and Kerem Shalom crossings, where cargo is transferred between Israel and Gaza, as well as at the Erez crossing, a passageway for people and goods. Guard members will be deployed also at the Rafah crossing, which connects Sinai, Egypt with the Strip. Advertisement Hamas forces will be positioned nearby and effectively will control the movement of Palestinian civilians in and out of Gaza. This agreement is in keeping with the 2005 crossings agreement, between the U.S., Israel and the PA, which called for placing the crossings under forces loyal to Abbas. The Palestinian sources said that Hamas leaders are due to meet with Egyptian mediators within the next two days. The Egyptians will convey Israel's views on the Egyptian proposal, and Hamas is to state whether it agrees to a temporary cease-fire. The current round of violence ended after Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders met with Egyptian officials last week. The PA also has agreed to the Egyptian proposal. It is expected to present any agreement as a success, because this would mean Hamas has failed to break the siege on Gaza. It has controlled the coastal strip since overthrowing Fatah there last June. Meanwhile, Damascus-based Hamas leader Mohammed Nasser released the group's conditions for a cease-fire with Israel yesterday. Nasser says Hamas is demanding Israel completely cease "all acts of aggression" in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. By this demand, Hamas is toughening its stance regarding the cease-fire in the works, and is posing a demand that Israel steadfastly has refused to accept so far. Israel rejects any deal that would bar it from arresting suspected militants in the West Bank. Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman in the Strip, confirmed in a telephone conversation with Haaretz yesterday that the radical Islamic group is demanding Israel stop making arrests in the West Bank in exchange for a cease-fire deal. Nasser also added that Hamas is ready for a temporary cease-fire with Israel, on the condition that it occurs simultaneously and applies to both sides. Abbas said Monday during a meeting with Jordanian journalists that "a senior figure in the Israeli government is undermining the negotiations for internal reasons and because of personal hostility to me." He was in Jordan to meet with King Abdullah. A Jordanian journalist who published the story noted that Abbas is referring to Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Abbas also said that any agreement on Palestinian refugees' right of return would be implemented over the course of at least a decade after the signing of a peace deal. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bring the house down Dichter to police: Demolish home of J'lem yeshiva terrorist. Media frenzy Israel to boycott Al-Jazeera TV, claiming incitement to terror.

Today Online Barak: Fighting in Gaza, southern Israel may soon resume Responses: 188 Australian parliament lauds Israel as 'custodian of freedom' Responses: 145 Qureia to Livni: PA 'shocked' at plan to expand settlement Responses: 128 Israel to boycott Al-Jazeera TV, claiming incitement to terror Responses: 106 Pro-Palestinian graffiti found inside El Al plane in Italy Responses: 56 Haaretz TV: Israel-born child faces expulsion Responses: 28 More Headlines 02:47 Lull in fighting ends as rockets slam into Israel 20:44 Defense Min.: Fighting in southern Israel, Gaza may soon resume 18:58 New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigns amid sex scandal 02:16 Poll: Half of Jews oppose living in neighborhoods with Arabs 00:56 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue 00:37 Rabbi: Terror attack was punishment for rebellion against Torah 16:59 Smuggler buried alive when tunnel collapses near Egypt-Gaza border 20:55 Livni warns 'clock is ticking' on sanctions against Iran 19:29 Brothers sentenced to life in jail for 'honor killing' of sister 02:28 ANALYSIS: Admiral's break with Bush on Iran lands him on the outs 20:24 Shas slams IDF plan to decrease Haredi exemption from army 21:27 Schindler Jews to mark 65 years since Krakow ghetto liquidation Previous Editions Select Day 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb

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