In a dramatic late night turnaround, PA Chairman Yasser Arafat agreed to accept the cease-fire proposal brokered by CIA Director George Tenet. Earlier in the day, Israel had announced its acceptance of the proposed truce.

PA Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told reporters that although implementation would begin Wednesday, signature on an agreement would be delayed until Israel formally agrees to implement a settlement freeze.

"Palestinians will sign it only when the whole package on the Mitchell recommendations is agreed, foremost being a halt to all settlement activities. This paper is considered a working plan as part of a whole package," Abed Rabbo said. Subsequent reports, however, indicated that the Palestinians may sign the agreement on Wednesday after all.

According to the cease-fire terms, Palestinian Authority officials would make a renewed effort to stop violence emanating from PA-controlled areas, arresting militants suspected of involvement in attack and confiscating illegal weapons.

There remained a question mark on whether 100% results would be required, or only 100% efforts. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said, "There is no point in demanding less. Neither do I think there need be 'discounts'."

But he suggested that honest all-out efforts by the PA would be acceptable to Israel. "If there's a case in which Arafat tried to prevent a terrorist attack and did not succeed, that's one thing. But if there's an attack that Arafat did not try to prevent, that's something different," Peres said.

Once the PA begins to take these steps, Israel would begin lifting closures on Palestinian cities and withdrawing tanks from their current positions.

After a period of two weeks of successful implementation of these reciprocal security measures, additional confidence-building steps would begin, including the possibility of an Israeli settlement construction freeze. If the cease-fire holds for six weeks, negotiations would resume on all outstanding issues.

"Packed suitcases" ploy wins Arafat's assent
In the late afternoon, both Israeli and American sources indicated that Tenet was returning to the United States later that evening without achieving a cease-fire. The U.S. issued an announcement to this effect, expressing the "hope" that the Palestinians would still accept the proposed truce.

Facing potential blame for rejecting the plan and causing the failure of the CIA Chief's mission, Arafat convened his Cabinet and reached a decision to accept the proposal. Tenet traveled to Ramallah to meet with Arafat.

As Tenet and Arafat talked, about 1,000 Palestinians demonstrated nearby, calling for the rejection of the proposals. Marwan Barghouti, leader of Arafat's Fatah movement on the West Bank, charged that the CIA chief "aims to end our intifada without any political achievements."

"We came here to tell the director of the CIA, who came to save Sharon, 'Get out of here!' We tell Arafat to reject bowing to Tenet and to reject Tenet's proposals. Our resistance will continue until occupation ends," said Barghouti.

Arafat's eleventh-hour antics were not wholly unexpected. Both Israeli and American diplomats frequently have used the "packed suitcases" ploy to bring the Palestinian leader to make difficult decisions.

The meeting concluded around one in the morning, with no official announcement. By morning, however, media reports confirmed the agreement and its general framework. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv Wednesday said the United States was pleased about the proposed plan. "Its purpose is to resume security cooperation, end the violence and restore the situation on the ground that existed before September 28, 2000," the statement said. "Steps will be taken immediately to implement the work plan."

"Our efforts with parties on this work plan are consistent with our strong commitment to implementation of the Mitchell Report in all its aspects as a package of sequential steps to end the violence, rebuild the confidence and resume negotiations," the statement added.

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