Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime MinisterAriel Sharon met in Egypt this week and declared a cease-fire. Themeeting Tuesday was the first in more than four years betweenleaders of the two sides. The current violence between Palestiniansand Israelis began in September of two thousand.
Both men spoke of increased chances for peace. But violenceresurfaced on Thursday. Members of Hamas fired shells and rockets atJewish settlements in Gaza, although no one was hurt.
Mister Abbas had deployed a largesecurity force in the area to prevent attacks on Israelis. After theshelling, he dismissed three top security officials. Israel praisedthe action. But cabinet members said Israel would have to act if thePalestinians cannot control the situation.
Hamas said it was not trying to break the cease-fire. It said theattack was in answer to the killing of a Palestinian in Gaza onWednesday.
Israel has been urging Mister Abbas to disarm militant groups. OnFriday he went to Gaza to demand that they observe the truceannounced in Sharm el-Sheikh. Earlier he sent a representative tomeet with Hezbollah officials in Lebanon, where that group is based.Palestinian and Israeli officials have both accused Hezbollah ofplotting to wreck the cease-fire.
In return for Palestinian promises to control violence, Israelsaid it would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners within weeks.Israeli also promised to withdraw troops from five West Bank towns.
President Bush recently said he would ask Congress for threehundred fifty million dollars for the Palestinians. The money wouldbe used to help them develop an independent state.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met separately with MisterSharon and Mister Abbas this week. Secretary Rice said the UnitedStates would give the Palestinians forty million dollarsimmediately.
In other news this week in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia held itsfirst open elections. Candidates competed for half the seats onlocal councils in the Riyadh area. The national government willchoose the other half.
Close to two thousand men competed for one hundred twenty-sevenseats. Women could not be candidates. They also could not vote. Thegovernment said it did not have enough time to set up separatevoting stations for them.
Still, many voters said the local elections marked the beginningof democratic reforms. The ruling family is under pressure to giveSaudis more political power.
About one hundred fifty thousand men in and around the capitalsigned up to vote. Up to six hundred thousand could have registered.
Unofficial results were announced Friday. News agencies saidIslamist candidates supported by clergy appeared to have won inRiyadh.
Elections are set for March and April in other parts of thekingdom.
In the News in VOA Special English was written by Jerilyn Watson.I'm Steve Ember.