Egypt's intelligence chief holds talks with Peres, Arafat on tensions
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 7/8/2002

An Egyptian envoy held talks with Israeli leaders yesterday and later met Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat against the backdrop of Israeli reoccupation and Palestinian upheaval.

Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman began his mission with a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Benyamin Ben Eliezer and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.

He told them Egypt wanted to help calm Israeli-Palestinian violence, Israeli officials said.

Israeli Army Radio quoted Ben-Eliezer as telling the envoy Arafat "must change a policy of terror" before Israel could take seriously any reforms he pursues in the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian officials said Suleiman saw Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah later in the day.

"It comes within the framework of attempts to get out of this standoff, which was created by Israeli policies," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters in Egypt.

Palestinian sources said the Palestinian leader received the Egyptian envoy to discuss the outcome of Israel's reinvasion of Palestinian-ruled areas.

Arafat and Suleiman also discussed recent restructuring of the Palestinian security agencies.

Under Israeli guns and US pressure for reform, Arafat also faced an internal challenge from Palestinian security chiefs over his dismissal of Jibril Rajoub, head of the Preventive Security Service in the West Bank.

Palestinian sources said more than 100 top security officials refused in a rancorous meeting in Ramallah on Saturday to accept Arafat's appointment of Zuhair Manasra, governor of the West Bank city of Jenin, to replace the powerful Rajoub.

A smaller group of security commanders also met Arafat in Ramallah on Saturday to protest, a security source said.

It was unlikely the call from Rajoub loyalists would force Arafat to retract his dismissal but the rejection was an unusual form of dissent.

About 1,000 pro-Rajoub activists marched in the West Bank city of Hebron yesterday chanting "Arafat is our leader, Jibril Rajoub is an innocent man."

Previous Stories:
  Egypt concerned over renewed siege on Arafat's HQ   (6/13/2002)
  Israel's practices violate fourth Geneva Convention   (6/12/2002)
  Sharon confers with al-Baz   (6/1/2002)
  Maher blames Israel for ME crisis   (5/23/2002)
  Baz expects an agreement on convening international conference next July   (5/23/2002)
  Egypt lauds Europe's stance on ME crisis   (5/22/2002)

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