Middle East: A top Palestinian official confirmed yesterday that contacts with the Israeli government were under way, although he played down their significance.Israeli officials, however, suggested they were a precursor to the first top-level meeting in weeks between the two sides, writes Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem
Mr Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a senior adviser to Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, said contacts between the two sides were aimed at easing Israeli-imposed travel and other restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
But he said no progress had been made so far. "We are looking for serious negotiations without aggression."
The contacts are being conducted on the Israeli side by Mr Amos Gilad, the head of the Defence Ministry's diplomatic and security branch.
According to the Israelis, they are aimed at paving the way for a meeting between Defence Minister, Mr Shaul Mofaz, and a high-ranking Palestinian official.
There have been no meetings between senior officials since former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas resigned in early September.
Israeli officials say the meeting is likely to be held next week and that the primary aim will be to pave the way for talks with the government of new Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Korei.
Mr Arafat's national security adviser, Mr Jibril Rajoub, said no meeting had been scheduled with Mr Mofaz.
But he said the Palestinians "have no veto on any meeting with the Israeli side provided such meetings are serious and not for the sake of holding meetings".
Speaking at an economic forum in Tel Aviv on Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he was ready to negotiate with Mr Korei as soon as his Palestinian counterpart was ready.
"The reason talks are not on a prime ministerial level is due to a Palestinian request to allow Prime Minister Abu Ala (Korei) to gain strength. We are ready to start negotiations any time. I believe we are on the brink of a new opportunity to find the way to quiet and peace."
But some Palestinian officials doubted the Israeli leader's comments, suggesting they had been made to divert attention from criticism of the government's hardline policies in the territories that emanated from the Israeli military earlier this week.
Army chief Lieut Gen Moshe Ya'alon drew fire from Mr Sharon and Mr Mofaz after he told journalists, in a briefing that was off the record but nevertheless intended to make headlines, that the harsh measures like blockades and curfews in the Palestinian areas were proving counter-productive.
The measures, he said, hurt the general Palestinian population rather than militant groups.
It had been unclear whether the Israeli government would initiate contacts with Mr Korei, after some Israeli leaders suggested he was an Arafat stooge.
But the Palestinian premier has clashed with Mr Arafat over security powers, insisting the Palestinian President relinquish his control over a significant portion of the security forces and agree to Mr Korei's choice for interior minister - a position that includes authority over the Palestinian security apparatus.
As a result, Mr Korei threatened to resign after a 30-day emergency cabinet appointed by Mr Arafat expired next week, but he has since been asked by the Palestinian leader to put together a regular government.
Reuters adds: Israeli police are split over whether to recommend indicting Mr Sharon in a political funding scandal, Haaretz newspaper, which has broken key developments in the case, said yesterday. Police investigators questioned the right-wing former general for seven hours at his official residence on Thursday over the so-called "Greek island affair", one of two funding scandals dogging him.