Palestine rejects new Israeli conditions

Palestinian National Authority expressed its rejection of the three conditions imposed by the Israeli government on accomplishing the coming stages of Israeli withdrawal in the West Bank.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stated that these conditions were not part of the Wye River accord, which the Palestinian and Israeli leaders signed on October 23 to restart the stalled peace process.

The Israeli government imposed yesterday three conditions on the Palestinian government which it said must be fulfilled before the implementation of the two forthcoming stages of withdrawal from the West Bank.

The Israeli Cabinet demanded that the Palestinian government "explicitly" clarify its commitment to the Wye Agreement, "according to which neither prisoners with blood on their hands nor Hamas members will be released;" announce "both the abandonment of its intention to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state, and its commitment to the principle of continuing negotiations until the achievement of a permanent settlement;" stop "acts of incitement and violence" and punish those who are responsible, the Israeli prime minister's media advisor said yesterday.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also accused the Palestinians of encouraging violence, "in an attempt to pressure Israel with regard to the matter of the prisoners."

The US has repeatedly called on Israel to avoid adding new conditions that are not part of the Wye agreement. Many Palestinians see in the Israeli actions a manifestation of their lack of desire to honor their agreements and use every available opportunity to that end.