PNA disappointed at US reluctance to pressure Israel
Palestine, Politics, 10/29/1997

The Israeli inner cabinet Wednesday held what some believe is its most important meeting ever. But as far as the Palestine National Authority is concerned, nothing is expected in the horizon. Many Palestinian officials now believe the Washington talks that were due to start last Monday will not be resumed next week and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu means to play with time as long as he can.

We simply believe there is no reason to hold the meeting in Washington if no substance is involved," said Dr. Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator with Israel in a press conference in Ramallah Wednesday morning. Erekat said it would be a waste of time if the Israeli party comes to the Washington talks without a clear mandate to negotiate the first and second phases of Israeli troop redeployment in the West Bank. The Israeli army pullout of the West Bank, said Erekat, is a red line for the PNA and without a clear commitment from Israel that it will carry out this redeployment, there won't be any sense in meeting in Washington, whether this or next week.

Erekat did not hide his disappointment at US reluctance to exert pressure on the Israeli government and said that without this pressure, it will be very difficult to move ahead with the peace process. However, he said he received a phone call from US Special Peace Envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross who stressed that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "wants very much the Washington talks to resume as early as possible."

He attacked the Israeli government which has failed to honor even agreements it signed with the PNA. He was referring to the Hebron accord which in details gave dates for the further stages of Israeli troop redeployment in the West Bank. Those dates have not been honored. Erekat said the first stage was due to take place last March 7, but the Israeli troops pulled out of less than 9 percent of the areas and the second stage was due by last September 7. On that day, he said, not a single Israeli official bothered to call the PNA and say that no further redeployment was to be implemented.

Asked whether the PNA has made up its mind as to whether attend or boycott the Doha International Economic conference in Qatar in November, Erekat said consultations are still taking place within the PNA leadership and that a decision has not been taken yet. "We hope to reach a decision that comes within the context of a common Arab stand on this issue," he said.

Secretary Albright called Netanyahu Tuesday night to express her hope that the negotiators can meet in the US soon. Israeli sources said Albright expressed her disappointment at Netanyahu's failure to provide his foreign minister with a clear mandate to negotiate with the Palestinians the issues of further redeployment and the time out proposed for Jewish settlement activities in the West Bank. Albright told reporters later that she would like to see the negotiators come to the US with authority to make decisions so as to motivate the process forward.

Israeli sources said that US President Bill Clinton is now ready to meet with Netanyahu and that this summit is expected to take place in two weeks in California. The sources said Clinton is seemingly ready to squeeze Netanyahu in during their talks with the hope of moving the peace talks forwards.

Meanwhile, Peace Now published data from the 1998 budget proposal which show that government settlement budgets will sharply increase in comparison to last year. According to Peace Now figures, some US $30 million are allocated in the budget for bypass roads in the settlements. The sum, says Peace Now in a letter to the PM, is nearly a sixth of the budget allotted for ³main transport arteries, interchanges and bridges² all over Israel.

Previous Stories:
  A view from the Knesset   (10/27/1997)
  Israeli internal problems delay Washington talks   (10/27/1997)
  Action needed not talk says Palestinians to US   (10/23/1997)

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