English/Nat
Palestinians say they're encouraged but taking a wait-and-see attitude about a promised Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank.
The Israeli Cabinet voted on Sunday to go forward with a troop withdrawal, but set no date.
And it made the pullout conditional on such things as whether the Palestinians are doing more to fight terrorism.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arriving for Sunday's cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
There was effectively only one topic on the agenda -- whether or not to give the go- ahead for a further Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank.
Eventually the cabinet voted "Yes" -- but set no date and re-emphasised it could depend on how strongly the Palestinians crack down on terrorism.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's a decision by the government to implement the second redeployment, to continue as intensely as possible in the talks with the Palestinians. It does condition the second redeployment in the fulfilment of the obligations made by the Palestinians in the Hebron agreement."
SUPER CAPTION: David Bar-Illan, adviser to Netanyahu
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, speaking before the vote, said he hoped that Israel would stick to previous agreements.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We hope that the size of the redeployment which will be decided today according to what had been agreed up and signed in our agreement in Oslo and Oslo 2 and Hebron protocol agreements."
SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader
But after the vote, an Arafat spokesman said the Palestinian leader was cautiously optimistic about the decision.
He says it was encouraging to see Israel abide by the peace agreements, but that the Palestinians have to wait and see about Israel's conditions.
But another top Palestinian official, also speaking before the vote, took a much blunter view.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It is very clear that Netanyahu is trying to evade an internal problem, to circumvent real issues and to deflect criticisms that have been levied against him and his government from the Palestinians, from the Arabs, from the Americans and from the international community as a whole. This is entirely unacceptable and we don't believe negotiations should be conducted within the right-wing Likud camp and within the right-wing coalition in Israel."
SUPER CAPTION: Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Minister of Higher Education
It's not just Palestinians who are unhappy.
Right wing Israeli groups, who Netanyahu depends upon to stay in power, will be equally displeased if more concessions are handed out to the Palestinians.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We in the land of Israel front will meet tomorrow, will study the government decision. If it is additional concessions, if it includes additional concessions we will vote a non- confidence regardless. What the left does, if the labour party joins us or doesn't join us it's a problem of the labour party."
SUPER CAPTION: Michael Kleiner. right wing politician
To make their point, some demonstrated outside the cabinet office while the debate went on.
But the vote went broadly as expected -- a commitment to the principle of pulling out, with strings attached.
Little new there in the world of Israeli-Palestinian politics.
