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Israeli Tanks Enter West Bank Town; Israel, Palestinians Argue Over Truce Talks
Sunday, September 16, 2001
The Associated Press

JERUSALEM
Israel and the Palestinians argued Sunday over conditions needed to begin truce talks, while Israeli tanks entered the West Bank city of Ramallah in a retaliatory raid, provoking a shootout that killed one Palestinian and one Israeli soldier.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said truce talks could begin only after two full days with no Palestinian attacks. But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat rejected that demand, saying the violence was caused by Israel's incursions into Palestinian territory.

"If absolute quiet lasts 48 continuous hours, our foreign minister will meet with Arafat in order to advance the cease-fire," Sharon told a special session of parliament, convened to show solidarity with the United States following last week's terror attacks.

Arafat, speaking in Gaza City, said: "We are committed to the cease fire. We are ready for political dialogue any time, any place."

During the past year of Mideast fighting, several efforts to arrange a cease-fire have failed. A meeting between Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres that had been tentatively set for Sunday was called off after Sharon objected, saying opening truce talks now "would give Arafat legitimacy as a good guy."
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