Abbas hopeful over Israel truce
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PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas has voiced optimism that armed Palestinian groups will respond to his call to lay down weapons. &quot;There has been progress in the negotiations with Palestinian factions about ending
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Palestinians and Israelis moved closer to halting more than four years of bloody violence on Sunday, with the new Palestinian leader saying he had made progress toward a truce deal with militants. Israel pledged for the first time to hold fire if calm prevails.
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British newspapers cautiously welcomed a ceasefire pledge by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas as possibly reviving the moribund peace process.
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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  said he was very satisfied with efforts by Palestinian  President Mahmoud Abbas to restore calm and pledged in an  interview published on Thursday to pursue peace with him.
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President Mahmoud Abbas said he hoped talks between Palestinian factions to begin Sunday would resolve critical disagreements and make his plan to call a referendum recognizing Israel&#039;s right to exist unnecessary.
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Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas extended his hand in peace Monday, his first gesture toward Israel since his landslide victory in presidential elections.
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Mahmoud Abbas, speaking with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain at his side, renewed his call today for peace talks with Israel.
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New Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas  said on Sunday he was close to a deal with militants to cease  attacks on Israelis, a step needed to relaunch Middle East  peacemaking.
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The victory of Mahmoud Abbas in Palestinian elections raised hopes on Monday for reviving talks with Israel after the relative moderate won a landslide in the vote to succeed Yasser Arafat.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas are to sound out militant groups on extending a ceasefire with Israel from Gaza to the West Bank, officials said on Wednesday.
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RAMALLAH, West Bank  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cautioned on Monday that much had yet to be decided about holding a conference the United States hopes may relaunch Middle East peace talks in the coming months.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that he was ready to meet unconditionally with the Israeli leader, possibly paving the way for a resumption of long-stalled peace talks.
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Mahmoud Abbas, sworn in as Palestinian Authority president Saturday, said he is extending his hand in peace to Israel and called for a cease-fire, but he made no mention in his inaugural speech of how he would deal with Palestinian militants, the most pressing issue on his agenda.
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Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have declared a truce.
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RAMALLAH, West Bank  - The victory of Mahmoud  Abbas in Palestinian elections raised hopes on Monday for  reviving talks with Israel after the relative moderate won a  landslide in the vote to succeed Yasser Arafat.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said   on Monday he had reached a deal with Prime Minister Ismail   Haniyeh of Hamas over forming a unity government that the   Palestinians hope will end their international isolation.
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Palestinian security chiefs hoped to win  an Israeli go-ahead Tuesday to take over wider areas of Gaza to  solidify a de facto cease-fire and help new President Mahmoud  Abbas launch peace talks with Israel.