Tuesday, 17 October, 2000, 23:10 GMT Secret security agreement reported

Palestinian police will have to hold fire under the reported agreement

Israeli TV has reported what it describes as a "secret security agreement" at the Sharm el-Sheikh accords which promised "immediate war" in response to the threat of terrorist attacks. The five-point agreement is also said to have called for the rearrest of the Hamas leaders released by the Palestinians.

The TV quoted the clauses of the agreement as follows:

Immediate war will be waged against the threat of terrorist attacks. All 14 senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists who were released, including Muhammad Dayf and Abu-Hannud, will be rearrested. The Palestinian police will be immediately ordered to hold their fire. All incitement broadcasts will cease. The sides acknowledge that the only armed Palestinian personnel are to be the Palestinian Authority's policemen.

Hamas leaders are to be rearrested The TV added that the understanding of the last clause was that the Tanzim militia would be disarmed.

The Tanzim is an armed group associated with Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization.

One of Israel's key demands in efforts to end the recent violence has been the disarmament of the Tanzim.

Palestinian denial

The claims of a secret agreement were immediately explicitly denied by the Palestinians, who described them as "fabrications".

But BBC correspondent John Leyne said that various attempts have been made in the past to set up meetings between Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs under the chairmanship of CIA head George Tenet.

Mr Tenet was reported to be in the region at the time of the summit, and our correspondent says it is quite possible that such a meeting did take place.

It is more doubtful whether the detailed understandings which the TV reported really were an agreement or simply matters under discussion.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_977000/977546.stm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 17, 2000