Suspended last week after the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Nachshon Waxman, talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiatore resumed Tuesday in Cairo on issues related to Palestinian elections.
A source close to the negotiations said the talks went well, and that the Palestinians raised new proposals regarding Israel’s concern over the election of Hamas members to a new Palestinian governing council.
Israel has sought to prevent any groups opposed to the accord between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization from voting for or being elected to the council.
In a conciliatory gesture, the Palestinians agreed to Israel’s participation in a team of international election observers. But Palestinian representatives opposed setting up a joint Israel-Palestinian body to supervise the elections.
Maj. Gen. Danny Rothschild, the leader of the Israeli negotiating team, and his Palestinian counterpart, Saeb Erekat, discussed the makeup and powers of the new council.
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