[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: "Israel has in the past two years softened its
opposition to having foreign troops in the Palestinian territories but
remains skeptical that many states would be willing to contribute." should
read "Israel has in the past two years become increasingly stupid and or
desperate vis-a-vis the introduction of foreign troops - aka "human shields"
or perhaps even "trip wires for regional Arab-Israeli war" if Arab states
participate. This shift in Israeli attitudes is the product of a desire to
come up with a way to make "progress" in creating a sovereign Palestinian
state even though the move defies all logic.]

Fayyad wants foreign troops in Gaza
Palestinian prime minister proposes deploying Arab security forces in Gaza
Strip to reassert Palestinian Authority's control over region. Israel
remains skeptical
Reuters Published: 07.07.08, 20:16 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3565208,00.html

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said on Monday he was proposing
ideas that include the temporary deployment of Arab security forces in Gaza
to help reunite Hamas-run Gaza with the West Bank.

Fayyad said his ideas, proposed in meetings with foreign Arab and Western
officials, complemented an initiative by President Mahmoud Abbas last month
to offer a national dialogue to end the rift between the secular factions of
the Palestine Liberation Organization and their Islamist rival Hamas.

Fayyad said restoring Palestinian Authority control over the Gaza Strip, run
by Hamas since violence a year ago and separated from Abbas' Fatah-run West
Bank "is a key objective of policy and has to be pursued vigorously at all
times".

"The separation has to end. I'm deeply worried that over the past year, the
separation has been reinforced. This situation has to be reversed quickly,"
he told Reuters in an interview.

"What I've been talking about are ideas aimed at providing practical
solutions to issues of concern that have been cited as impediments to the
achievement of unity," Fayyad said.

"The ideas include seeking Arab security support to help with the security
situation in Gaza and deal with the obvious need for help that we have in
restructuring our security capabilities and provide security services in a
manner that is reassuring and effective to all during a transitional
period."

Arab diplomats said Egypt, which has mediated a fragile, truce between Hamas
and Israel, was ready to host a dialogue between the Palestinian factions
but was not eager to deploy its troops in Gaza. Other Arab states, however,
said they were willing to consider the proposal, diplomats said.

Israel skeptical

Israel has in the past two years softened its opposition to having foreign
troops in the Palestinian territories but remains skeptical that many states
would be willing to contribute.

Abbas dismissed a Hamas-led government last June following its seizure of
the Gaza Strip and appointed a Western-backed government headed by Fayyad in
the West Bank.

Hamas, backed by Syria and Iran, has consolidated its power in Gaza despite
sanctions imposed by Israel and its Western allies and much of the Arab
world for refusing to recognize Israel and past peace agreements with
Israel.

Abbas has sought the help of Arab states to convince Hamas to end what he
says is its coup in Gaza and end the rift that has undermined his peace
talks with Israel aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank
and Gaza.

Hamas has said it wants to confine reconciliation talks to Abbas' Fatah
movement and insists talks should be without any preconditions.

Hamas regards its own Ismail Haniyeh, who headed an elected government from
2006, as still being prime minister and rarely responds to comments by
Fayyad, a former World Bank economist who is not a member of Fatah.