Arafat changes strategy as Albright The Iron Lady melts
Palestine, Politics, 9/10/1997

All sounded like a dialogue of the deaf as US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu spoke in their joint press conference afer the first round of talks Wednesday afternoon. While Albright spoke of the need for fighting terror as well as of the need to honor the interim agreements, Netanyahu insisted on hearing only one part of the US message and pretening as if the part dealing with peace requirements on his behalf had not even been stated by his guest.

Netanyahu apparently had been encouraged by earlier statements by Albright on security and, to some extent, he was right. Many Palestinians saw the American "Iron Lady's" remarks as not being fair at all when she embarked on security and publicized in the open what she intends to tell PNA President Yasser Arafat when she meets him Thursday but failed to disclose even one aspect of what she demanded of Netanyahu. That's if she did demand anything of him.

"Albright proved her inability to play the fair impartial role of a peace mediator," said a senior Palestinian official minutes after the press conference was over. "It is totally unacceptable to us that the only super power takes sides and does not honour its commitments as a peace broker in the region," the official said who requested anonymity and expressed hope that in her meeting with Arafat on Thursday Albright will bring in some positive points to start with.

Palestinian sources said Wednesday evening that the PNA is now busy preparing a new strategy for talks with Albright. "The earlier hopes had vanished, and we need to underline the fact that Netanyahu and his government have no intention whatsoever to move forward on the peace front," the sources said. Moreover, PNA secretary general Tayyeb Abdul Rahim said President Arafat will present Albright with classified information about the perpetrators of the last two suicide bombings in West Jerusalem. The information the PNA has in its hands confirms that the perpetrators have come from abroad and as such Israel is the only party to blame for the security failure that allowed them to infiltrate into Israel with their RDX explosives that are undetectable by ordinary X-Ray machines that Israel uses in its ports and crossing points. "All Israeli copmlaints in the field of security against the PNA are baseless, and we will present the evidence we have to Secretary Albright," Abdul Rahim was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Elyahu Ben Elissar who participated in part of the talks between Albright and Netanyahu denied the US has exerted any pressure on Israel. On the contrary, he said, Albright had plenty of warm words on relations with Israel." He admitted that Netanyahu refused to commit his government to any future step until after Arafat "proves that he has done everything he can to fight terror and the infrastructure of all terror groups within the PA areas." When asked by reporters what would Israel then do after Arafat does all he is requested to do, Ben Elissar said: "Let us wait and see, but nothing can happen before Arafat understands he has to fight terror."

Commenting on Ben Elissar's statement, a senior Palestinian source said that Israel "obviously wants the PNA to become involved in a civil war against all the Palestinian groups that opposed the peace agreements and only then say what it would be ready to give to whoever remains of the Palestinians." This approach, the source said, is entirely rejected by the PNA and will continue to demand that Israel honour all the clauses of the interim agreements, including the release of prisoners, the implementation of the second phase of Israeli troop redeployment in the West Bank, the opening of the safe passage between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the opening of the airfield and naval port in Gaza.

The source ruled out all chances of Albright convening a three-way summit meeting along with President Arafat and Netanyahu and said the gap between the two sides is as wide as it was before the Secretary's arrival. He added that Albright "has so many points to iron out before such a meeting is held." However, he noted, things may change in the process of Thursday and Friday's talks.

Previous Stories:
  Netanyahu, Albright stress security after meeting   (9/10/1997)
  Waiting for Albright   (9/9/1997)
  Suicide bombing in Israel - a thorough dissection   (9/4/1997)

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