Arafat's rival calls for halting the Palestinian Intifada

Rival of the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat to the presidency of the Palestinian authority in the next election, Husam Nazzal, has called for halting the Palestinian Intifada for 6 months in order to "prove the good intention of the Palestinians towards the Israelis."

The Palestinian doctor who carries the French nationality said in an interview with the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot on Sunday said "we have to show our good intention. I call for a unilateral suspension of the negotiations. We will give you a period of six months to prove your good intention ( for the Israelis) and we will abide by not attacks to be carried out during this period, and thereby we oblige you to resume the negotiations."

Nazzal ( 41 year old) said the Palestinian Authority represents "a great failure at the political, security, social, economic and international levels." Nazzal, who is from Jenin added he will come to the Palestinian territories to "convince the people that the current situation will not continue with terrorist attacks and counter attacks." Nazzal called for the omission of the phrase "Palestinian Authority " because the concept "authority" means to single out the making of decisions. He also called for establishing normal relations especially with Israel.