|
Palestine On The Eve Of U.S. Inauguration
JERUSALEM (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres will meet in the Gaza Strip on Saturday to try to bridge differences over a final peace deal, Arafat's senior adviser said.
Saturday night's meeting of negotiators will be the second in 48 hours between the two parties. Palestinian officials said after the last round of talks early on Friday that serious differences remained on key issues including the future of Jerusalem, refugees, borders and Jewish settlements.
But both sides played down hopes of reaching an agreement before U.S. President Bill Clinton leaves office on January 20th.
And Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told the French news agency AFP that an agreement before then, or indeed before Israeli elections on February 6th, was highly unlikely.
Clinton agrees with Israeli and Palestinian politicians who say there is no real hope of reaching a settlement in the week that remains of his eight-year presidency.
Peres has expressed concern that time was running out for an agreement.
"What worries me above all is the lack of time. By next Sunday night, there will be a new president in the White House."
"What have we left - eight days, including two weekends," he shrugged.
Clinton said on Friday he was ready to pass the baton to President-elect George W. Bush and to the winner of Israel's prime ministerial election on February 6th.
"Whatever happens will be the responsibility of the next administration and the winner of the Israeli election," he said.
"You have to hope that this process keeps going," Clinton added.
Arafat and Barak eventually accepted Clinton's "parameters" but with so many conditions as to cast serious doubt on the meaning of their acceptance. Arafat, for example, said he could never yield on the right of return. Barak said he could never cede sovereignty over the Temple Mount.
The two sides have so far failed to find common ground on U.S. proposals that include an Israeli withdrawal from most of the West Bank and Gaza, and Palestinian renunciation of the right of some four million refugees to return to homes in Israel.
Palestinians have said they would accept Clinton's ideas as a basis for further talks only if they were amended. Israel said it would accept them as parameters for a final deal if the Palestinians agreed to them as well.
Palestinian negotiator Ahmad Qorei, noting that "big differences" remain, said an agreement could be reached in one day if Israel modified its position on key issues.
"If there's good will on the Israeli side, I think we can do it, if they will come to say, 'Yes, we recognize the Palestinian rights and international legitimacy,'" Qorei said.
In latest Israeli polls concerning the February 6th elections, indications are that right-wing challenger Ariel Sharon will easily defeat Barak. Sharon says he will seek peace with the Palestinians but not on the basis of Clinton's five "parameters".
Security talks earlier this week brought about Israel's easing of some travel restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza on Thursday, including the removal of several barriers and roadblocks.
On Friday, Israel opened border crossings from Gaza into Egypt and from the West Bank into Jordan. Gaza's international airport was also partially reopened.
Restrictions remain, however, in other Palestinian towns. The Israelis say the closures will remain in effect until security cooperation is fully resumed with the Palestinian authority.
The Palestinians say they want all the restrictions lifted first.
Since September 28th, at least 392 people have been killed. The Red Crescent Society says that 336 of them were Palestinians, and the IDF says that 43 were Israeli Jews and 13 were Israeli Arabs.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said it strengthened its security advice to embassy and consulate staff in Israel.
They and their families were told not to use public buses for fear of bombings, and were banned from entering the Old City of Jerusalem and commercial districts of East Jerusalem, except for essential business.
It had also warned Americans to stay away from the region.
The warnings extended advice in October that Americans defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza because of the danger to their security.
The State Department refused to go into any detail about what had triggered the warning.
|
