NEWS: Israel Vows Peace Unless Provoked, page 1

In a surprise move, Israel's hawkish PM Ariel Sharon, has promised peace with the Palestinians as long as there are no threats of violence from Palestinian factions. While still maintaining a somewhat hard-line position, Sharon appears hopeful that a peaceful solution can be achieved.

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TEL AVIV, Israel - Israel will not launch attacks or raids against Palestinians if the situation remains calm and it is not provoked, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday.

However, Israel would act if it had information that militants were planning imminent attacks on Israel and would respond if Palestinians fired rockets at Israel, he said.

�If there is quiet, we of course will not act,� Sharon said.

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Yassir Arafat's death has renewed hopes for peace in the troubled holy land. Israel is acting as if a major roadblock to the road map for peace has been removed.

Since Arafat's death the number of attacks on Israel have dropped drastically, and that appears to have been the impetuous for Sharon's vow that Israel will not undertake any new offensives against the Palestinians.

Sharon is still moving forward with his plans to withdraw from the Gaza strip sometime next year.

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