"Palestine" is still run by terrorists. Arafat is still in control of Palestinian "security" services. Terrorist groups like Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade are still running around in the West Bank and Gaza. Despite all these things, Israel is taking the moral high ground. She is taking risks, giving the benefit of the doubt to the "Palestinian Authority" (PA), an organization that is completely dubious and doubtful.

On Friday, Israel freed 73 more Palestinian prisoners and:

...agreed to hand control of four West Bank cities back to the Palestinians.

Israel has also agreed to permit Yasser Arafat to travel to the Gaza Strip to visit the grave of his sister Yousra, who died earlier this week and was buried in Gaza City, Israel TV reported.

It would be the first time Mr Arafat left his besieged compound in Ramallah in more than a year and a half.

Correspondents say a troop withdrawal and the removal of checkpoints might boost Palestinian popular support for the roadmap peace plan, at a time when it appears in serious trouble.

The agreement to pull out from the cities - Ramallah, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Jericho - was reportedly reached in a meeting on Friday between Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian Security Chief Mohammad Dahlan.

Israel has made the withdrawal contingent on several very reasonable conditions:

No terrorist attacks, the Palestinians begin to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and the Palestinians create an apparatus for dealing with wanted people.

This is Israel's democracy in action: Compassion and accommodation even when faced with Palestinian hatred and ruthless violence against Jews. The PA has shown absolutely no desire to "dismantle the terrorist infrastructure." Will they do anything now in the face of Israel's magnanimous offer?

Part of me wants to scold Israel for making such offers to the PA when it has done almost nothing in return. Yes, Palestinian terrorists have declared a cease-fire, but history has shown us that these cease-fires never last. Will Israel's gestures "boost Palestinian popular support for the roadmap peace plan?" We'll see. The other part of me can only admire Israel's bravery for taking such risks and taking the high moral ground.