Algerian reactions to Bouteflika - Barak meeting
Algeria, Politics, 7/28/1999

Reactions to the meeting held between Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in Rabat on the sidelines of King Hassan II's funeral continued on Tuesday to be either supportive or condemning.

The Chairman of the Algerian National Reform Movement (Haraket al-Islah al-Watani al-Jazeiri), Sheikh Saad Jabullah Abdullah, condemned the meeting and described it as an unjustified retreat from stances known and adopted by Algeria.

In a statement to the Algerian daily al-Youm, Abdullah called for not accepting any sort of normalization with Israel until it gives back the usurped rights to their owners.

Suleiman Shanin, a member of the Peaceful Society Movement, said such a meeting deserves the respect of the people, even if this matter required a popular referendum to debate it. He indicated that the movement's Shoura council will hold an emergency meeting today to study this matter.

For his part, the spokesman for the al-Wafa movement, led by Ahmad Taleb al-Ibraheimi, said the meeting between Bouteflika and Barak is premature, adding that running towards Israel is not noteworthy for Algeria as far as Israel still occupied the Arab lands and refuses to recognize the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Algerian Parliament member Jalloul Joudi from the Labor Party expressed his surprise for the speed in the meeting between Bouteflika and Barak. He said the meeting was not in line with conditions previously announced by Bouteflika on the need for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan and Lebanon and recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

For its part, the Algerian al-Tajdid (renewal) Party considered the meeting a translation on the international level of the will of the Algerian president to open Algerian thinking and liberate it from taboos.

Sheikh Mahfouz Nahnah, the chairman of Mujtama al-Suloum (Peaceful Society Movement) said, commenting on the meeting, that he is for a just and comprehensive peace which restores the rights of the Palestinians.

Ali Meimouni, a member of the political bureau of the Algerian National Liberation Front party described the meeting as encouraging and contributing to fostering Algeria's participation as an effective side in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict in order to restore the rights of the Palestinians and provide success to the Middle East peace process.

Meimouni added that the decision to make contacts between Algeria and Israel is the decision of the president of the republic.

Previous Stories:
  Barak meets Bouteflika for the first time   (7/26/1999)
  Bouteflika meets with Israeli Prime Minister   (7/26/1999)
  King Abdullah, Bouteflika discuss peace, Arab reconciliation   (5/31/1999)

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