Israel reserves judgment on P.A. deal

Israel reserved judgement on the Palestinian Authority national unity deal. “Israel neither rejects nor accepts the agreements,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday at his weekly Cabinet meeting, referring to the deal signed last week by Hamas and Fatah leaders in Saudi Arabia. “At this stage we, like the international community, are learning what exactly was achieved and what was said.” Olmert’s circumspect comments signaled possible Israel flexibility on a Feb. 8 deal, which had previously been criticized by Jerusalem officials for not explicitly conforming to the peacemaking criteria set by the Quartet of foreign mediators. Vice Premier Shimon Peres said that whatever the new Palestinian Authority government’s makeup, Israel would still expect it to honor the U.S.-led “road map” to coexistence.