GAZA CITY, May 6
(News Agencies) - The Palestinian cabinet Sunday described as "very positive" a preliminary report from the US-led Mitchell commission on the origins of the violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
"The Palestinian leadership sees as very positive the preliminary report by the Mitchell Commission, which is a first international effort to put an end to the Israeli aggression," said a statement published after a meeting chaired by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City.
"We call on the international community and Arabs to take their responsibilities and stop the aggression and the economic siege which is imposed on us by Israel, as well as attacks with depleted uranium and gas," said the statement published by the WAFA agency.
"We call on the international community to stop its policy of settlement building that [Israeli Prime Minister] Ariel Sharon wants to develop", said the statement, which also reiterated Arafat's call for an international summit to be organized in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss the findings of the Mitchell report.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Sharon said earlier the call contained in the Mitchell commission's preliminary findings was unacceptable because of "signed agreements according to which [the settlements] will be dealt with in the framework of permanent status arrangements."
"It is clear there is no connection between the eruption of Palestinian violence and the settlements," Sharon was quoted by the Israeli news agency Itim as saying.
Later Sunday however, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said the report was "fair and balanced".
"This document is highly important because it states for the first time that no settlement can be imposed on the parties," Peres' office said.
"It also says the Palestinians must stop the shooting and the violence, after which both parties will have to take measures to facilitate efforts for the application of signed agreements," the statement added.
The commission, headed by former U.S. senator and Northern Ireland peace-broker George Mitchell, handed over its report Friday to the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, who are to study it and respond in the next two weeks.
