Approximately 3,000 Palestinian police have been deployed across the northern Gaza Strip to prevent rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli communities today. This presents the biggest hope for getting the peace process on track since the outbreak of the second intifadah in September 2000.

Additional Palestinian policemen are scheduled to take up positions in the southern Gaza Strip by Sunday.

Meanwhile, newly elected Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is continuing to negotiate with militant groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad in an attempt to arrange a stop to attacks on Israel in order to give negotiations a chance. Some close to Abbas say he is making progress although no agreement has been reached as of yet.

'I don't know how soon we shall have results,' Abbas told reporters with regard to the status of negotiations with hard-liners. Israel has indicated that any future attacks would result in an Israeli response with 'great force.' For now, however, the Israelis seem willing to allow Abbas to have his chance at maintaining security.

Saeb Erekat, a member of the Abbas's cabinet, urged Israel to end its military actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 'We are extending maximum effort to carry out our obligation to stop violence against Israelis everywhere,' Erekat said. 'We urge the Israeli side to return to the negotiating table so we can have a declaration of a mutual cessation of violence.'

Israel reopened the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip as a goodwill gesture towards Abbas. This is the only direct connection between Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the Arab world.

So far, although the calm remains fragile, it is holding. Those who favor peace hope it will lead to the resumption of negotiations towards a permanent solution between the two sides.