On the declaration of the Palestinian state

Israeli political sources said on Monday that a request made by Egypt and Jordan to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to abstain from declaring the establishment of a Palestinian state in May aims at not interfering in the elections in Israel.

Israeli radio reported that these sources made it clear that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak wants the Labor Party to ascend to power in Israel and to remove current Likud Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the post of prime minister in Israel.

The sources stated that Jordan fears the establishment of a Palestinian state because this will violate stability in Jordan.