Arafat asks Israelis to accept the idea of an independent Palestine

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat called on the Israeli people to accept the independent state of Palestine as a peace bridge.

Moreover Arafat said that the Palestinian state will work to establish peace and will do nothing except build and strengthen stability and to be a gate for love, concord and understanding between the people of the region.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat also this weekend reiterated that the Palestinians consider it their right to establish an independent Palestinian state when the Oslo peace accords expire in May, Bahrain Tribune reported.

These statements come even as Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon encouraged Israeli settlers to take all the land they can in advance of the second phase of troop redeployment in the West Bank according to the Wye Agreement.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Sharon as advising the settlers to "run, grab hills" before the implementation of second-phase Israeli troop withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister temporarily suspended implementation of the recently signed Wye accord as the Knesset was discussing ratification. Netanyahu said the reason was Arafat's statements on the establishment of an independent Palestine next May.

U.S. White House Spokesman Joe Lockhart said today that "both sides committed to implementation of Wye" and that is what is expected adding the agreements were signed without conditions by either side.