Israel restoring some privileges to Palestinians
JERUSALEM (CNN) --Israel began taking steps Monday to ease the condition of Palestinians, lifting curfews in three cities indefinitely, allowing 12,000 Palestinian workers into Israel and transferring an initial installment in frozen tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced the steps and appointed Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to coordinate with the Palestinians.But chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, who was meeting with U.S. civil rights activist Jesse Jackson in the West Bank city of Ramallah, called the promise to ease restrictions a "media bluff."
A statement from Sharon's office said aid agencies will be allowed to move "as unimpaired as possible" in the Palestinian territories.
Curfews were lifted indefinitely in the West Bank towns of Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Hebron.
Sharon's office said the IDF would lift roadblocks, ease conditions for entry by merchants into Israel, expand fishing zones in Gaza and improve passage of public transportation. A statement said the moves were "toward the facilitation of daily life for the civilian population not involved in terrorism."
Sharon also ordered the immediate transfer of a portion of tax funds being withheld by Israel to the Palestinian Authority.
The funds, estimated at $15 million, were to be handed over to Palestinian Authority Finance Minister Salam Fayed.
In other developments, Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said he hoped to meet Palestinian officials, perhaps as early as Tuesday, to discuss security issues.
Ben-Eliezer told Israeli Army Radio he likely would meet with Palestinian Interior Minister Abdel al Razek Yehiyeh.
Israel Radio reported Israel Defense Forces had arrested two senior Hamas military leaders near Ramallah.
In addition, Israeli Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit promised to deal with rioting Jewish settlers with "an iron fist" after a Sunday clash with Palestinians in Hebron, according to Israel Radio.
The outbreak occurred after the funeral procession of an IDF soldier who was the victim of a Friday ambush by Palestinian gunmen.
Israeli settlers rioted, Palestinian and Israeli sources said, killing a 13-year-old Palestinian girl and wounding 21 other Palestinians and 15 Israeli policemen.
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