Jordan and Palestine accuse Israel of obstructing peace agreement

Jordan and Palestine directed severe criticism at the Israeli government, blaming it for the peace process impasse, in a joint statement at the conclusion of talks that took place in Amman between Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan and the Palestinian president.

The two sides warned of the dangerous consequences that could result from Israel's actions, aiming at imposing a fait accompli policy in the occupied West Bank, which threatens the security and stability of the area.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat referred to progress in the negotiations concerning second-phase Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, but he accused Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of continuing to obstruct the implementation of the US initiative accepted by the Palestinians.

Arafat reiterated his intention of declaring the Palestinian state in the occupied land in the coming May, the end date under the Oslo accords of the final stage of negotiations.

The Jordanian successor renewed his country's support of the Palestinian government and resuming the Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has called in a new message for the US administration to announce its initiative concerning redeployment. In his second message, which he sent on Sunday night to US President Bill Clinton, Arafat stressed that the Israeli government works for containing and abrogating several items mentioned in the said US initiative, according to the Israeli army radio. The report added that on Saturday night Arafat also sent a message to Clinton urging him to pressure the Israeli government to implement redeployment.