Erekat: Iraqi crisis shifts attention from M.E. negotiations

Top Palestinian negotiator and minister of local government in the Palestinian authority Saeb Erekat said the crisis between Iraq and the U.N. has undoubtedly claimed international attention and shifted it away from the Middle East peace process.

The possibility of the use of military action against Iraq has influenced Middle East negotiations, particularly on the Palestinian - Israeli track.

Erekat added, "We can see Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu tried to make utmost use of the crisis to evade implementing agreements and accords" and to raise other issues, such as the dangers which Israeli might face inf Iraq launches missile attacks on it.

Netanyahu is claiming that Israel is now preparing for war and thus rallying public opinion, gathering political support and giving his full support to the U.S. administration coordinating military campaign, at a time when Arab countries refused to provide their lands and airports to the United States to launch a military attack on Iraq, said Erekat.

Erekat went on to say that Netanyahu's government acts as though Israel is a nation above law and international legitimacy and acts according to the law of force.

Erekat said he believes an Arab summit is necessary to reach a unified Arab position towards the Iraqi - U.N. crisis and Israeli actions undermining the peace process.