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Barak Rules Out Immediate Peace As Talks Resume
WASHINGTON & TABA, Egypt, Jan 25 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators commenced once again Thursday, incorporating a wide range of delegates after a two-day delay initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak due to the discovery of two dead Israelis in the West Bank.
The talks resumed shortly after the arrival of chief Israeli negotiator and Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami and newcomer to the talks, Yossi Sarid, leader of the dovish Meretz party.
Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and negotiator Gilad Sher arrived earlier after Barak's "peace cabinet" decided to resume talks with the Palestinians at Egypt's Taba resort.
Asked by reporters whether momentum was picking up in the negotiations, Beilin replied: "I hope so, despite the difficulties."
Barak said Thursday he did not think it was possible to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians before the Israeli leadership election on February 6th in which he faces an uphill battle against Likud hardliner Ariel Sharon.
"In [my] view the chances of signing an agreement before the elections are slim," a statement from Barak's office quoted him as saying.
Barak was speaking at a meeting of the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce in Tel Aviv ahead of negotiations with Palestinians.
At the Tel Aviv meeting, Barak also reiterated his so-called red lines in the negotiations with the Palestinians on core issues such as the future of Jerusalem and the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
"Israel will never agree to the refugees right of return to inside Israel and will not sign any agreement that transfers sovereignty over the Temple Mount to the Palestinians," the statement said.
The Taba talks amount to the biggest push for peace since a wave of violence erupted in late September in the wake of Sharon's visit to a Jerusalem site holy to both Muslims and Jews.
Barak's remarks contrasted with the optimism of some Palestinian negotiators, such as Nabil Shaath and others, who spoke privately of new ground having been broken on tough issues since talks began here Sunday.
A peace deal is seen as Barak's only chance of winning the election, with opinion polls giving his hardline rival Sharon a lead of up to 20 points.
The Palestinians say it would be bad news if Sharon became prime minister, while a peace deal is seen as Barak's only chance of keeping his job.
Although top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said no substantial progress had been made since the two sides began meeting, other Palestinians pointed privately to specific areas of progress.
For example, Israel proposed a new plan in which Israel would withdraw from around 94% of the West Bank and ease other demands within that territory, a negotiator said on condition he not be named.
Under the peace proposals offered by former U.S. president Bill Clinton before leaving office a week ago, the Israelis would have to withdraw from about 95% of the West Bank, but they had expressed reservations on that figure.
In addition, Israel is dropping its demand for a border zone in the Jordan Valley as well as its claim to annex a road linking the Maaleh Adumim settlement in east Jerusalem to the King Abdullah Bridge on the Jordan River, he said.
The road would cut the West Bank in two, an idea that has long irked Palestinians wanting a coherent state.
However, gaps remained on Israel's request to place three early warning stations in the Jordan Valley and on the role of international forces to be deployed there, the negotiator said.
Erakat said his team was hoping Israel will bring "new material" and be looking for a comprehensive rather than outline agreement from the talks.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami, who has also been involved here, earlier spoke of a framework agreement rather than a comprehensive settlement to their decades-old conflict.
Although Erakat praised the negotiations as very "serious and business-like," he denied reports there had been progress on substantial issues.
The two sides were to resume the work of the four committees in parallel - Jerusalem, borders and settlements, security, and refugees, he said.
Beilin is set to work with Shaath on the question of the right of the return of millions of refugees to homes now in Israel, while Sher was to meet with Erakat to discuss the fate of Jerusalem holy places.
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