Palestinians promise action against militants
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- The top Palestinian security commander said Wednesday he will deploy forces on Gaza's border with Israel to prevent rocket attacks, the first concrete step to rein in militants since Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas took office over the weekend.
Later, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to resume security talks with the Palestinians.
Security officials from the two sides were to meet later Wednesday to discuss ways of stopping Palestinian rocket fire in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli officials said. Palestinians confirmed the talks, saying they would take place at the Erez checkpoint between Gaza and Israel.
The moves came a day after a Hamas suicide bombing killed an Israeli and wounding seven others, disrupting fledgling efforts by Abbas to coax militants into halting their attacks. Abbas, who is under tremendous pressure from Israel to take action, was meeting with leaders of armed groups in Gaza on Wednesday to negotiate a truce.
Sharon halted contacts with Abbas after last week's checkpoint attack, and Israel threatened to carry out a major reprisal. But Israel held off to give Abbas time to take action.
Sharon decided at a security Cabinet meeting Wednesday to resume contacts, participants at the meeting said.
Earlier Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Abdel Razek Majaide, the top Palestinian commander in Gaza and the West Bank, said Palestinian forces would be deployed near the Gaza border with Israel within two days.
"Preparations are under way to deploy Palestinian national security soldiers along the borders to stop any sort of violations," Majaide said in a radio interview. Palestinian militants near the Gaza-Israel border frequently launch rockets into southern Israel.
Palestinian forces were last deployed along the Israeli-Gaza border during a two-month cease-fire in 2003 that Abbas, who was then prime minister, negotiated with the militants.
Before the current round of violence erupted in 2000, Palestinian police were placed at roadblocks near the border and patrolled cities and towns.
The Palestinian forces have been greatly reduced by more than four years of fighting with Israel and security officials say they will not be able to be deployed in the area without an Israeli agreement not to target the troops.
Shortly after the announcement of the troop deployment, militants fired a missile at an Israeli military vehicle near the border, wounding two soldiers.