story about what is going on.
In addition to the steps mentioned in the article below - which also tells about a multi-pronged attack in Gaza, that didn't succeed - as well as the planned release of prisoners and other matters that will be undertaken against the advice of Shin Bet. Recent steps have been taken to arm Palestinian police and security forces in West Bank cities - in preparation to Israeli withdrawal. And the IDF and Hamas are actually working together on civic matters, in towns where Hamas has won seats. Hamas has publicly stated it will accept aid - even from Israel - to help the people it represents.
For its part, PA has taken a notorious bit of antisemitic literature off an internal website and severely chastised a preacher who went on the tube the other day with an obnoxioius rant.
Definitely, it's slow. But it has taken more than 80 years to get here. And, I'm posting another article separately, an interview of Yehud Barak, which gives another point of view.
Sharon approves gestures to PA
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Despite the continued barrage of mortar shells and rockets, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday approved a series of gestures to the Palestinians, over the objections of the Shin Bet security service.
Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin opposed the proposal to approve the gestures, on the grounds that there are too many warnings of terror attacks. But the IDF supported the decision. At a meeting with Mofaz on Thursday, senior officers warned that if Israel did not act to strengthen Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, "he'll fall, and then we'll have to give more abatements to Hamas, which will gain power in his stead."
The measures, which will be brought to the cabinet for approval after Sharon returns from the United States later this month, involve steps that Israel originally promised at February's Sharm el-Sheikh summit: freeing an additional 400 Palestinian prisoners, allowing the return of wanted Palestinians deported to Europe following the standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity in 2002, and allowing the return of Palestinians deported from the West Bank to Gaza.
snip
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/578321.html