Sharon announces halt to military action

The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has declared an end to all military action against the Palestinians in the West …

The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has declared an end to all military action against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

"Today in my meeting with Chairman [Palestinian President Mahmoud] Abbas, we agreed the Palestinians would stop all acts of violence against Israelis everywhere, and in parallel, Israel would cease its military activity against the Palestinians everywhere," Mr Sharon said in a statement at today's summit with Mr Abbas.

Mr Abbas separately proclaimed a formal end to Palestinian militant attacks on Israelis after four years of bloodshed.