Binaliazer claims that Arafat obstructs resumption of negotiations with Israel

The Israeli defense minister Benyamin Ben Eliezer said that the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat is placing obstacles before attempts to resume negotiations with the Israeli side.

Following a meeting he held on Sunday with the higher official responsible for the foreign policy and security in the European Union EU, Javier Solana, Ben Eliezer alleged that the Palestinian side seeks to resume negotiations with the Israeli side, but Arafat places obstacles before that.

Ben Eliezer called on the EU to force the Palestinians to halt the Intifada and fight what he called as terrorism. Ben Eliezer said that European attempts aiming at initiating a dialogue with Arafat is "not fruitful."