Arabic News Weekly Edition for Palestine, 5/4/1998
Weekly Edition, Palestine - Week of May 4, 1998
- Palestinians plan for the 1999 declaration of state
Palestinian plans to promote a UN resolution that considers Jewish settlements "war crimes" aim at undermining every Israeli claim of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank or the Gaza Strip once a Palestinian independent state is declared Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/8/1998 - Taha Yassin Ramadan calls for Arab summit
The spokesman for the Palestinian Liberation Democratic Front, headed by Naef Hoatema, announced that a delegation from the front headed by bureau member Fahd Soliman met yesterday in Baghdad with Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan. Palestine-Iraq, Politics, 5/8/1998 - Palestine denies Arafat's approval of Abu Dis as Palestinian capital
In a statement to ArabicNews.com, Kobaa said, "We have informed the Americans, the Russians and the Europeans that eastern Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, is the capital of the coming Palestinian state." Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/7/1998 - King Hussein, Arafat hold telephone talks
Both King Hussein of Jordan and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat expressed hopes that peace talks in Washington next week will yield positive results to would bring about progress on the Palestinian - Israeli track of peace negotiations. Jordan-Palestine, Politics, 5/7/1998 - Bethlehem 2000 project is focus of international conference
The undersecretary of the Palestinian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Anis El-Kak, said today that the coordination committee of the Bethlehem 2000 project is trying to raise $300 million to support infrastructure and tourist projects in Bethlehem. Palestine, Economics, 5/7/1998 - Arafat discuss with Mubarak on Monday's U.S. talks
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat arrived at Cairo from Tunisia after he held a meeting with Tunisian President Zien El-Abidin Bin Ali, informing him about the results of this week's peace talks in London. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 5/7/1998 - U.S. First lady Hillary Clinton stirred great interest Palestine-USA, Politics, 5/7/1998
- Israeli border police shoot, wound two Palestinians Palestine-Israel, Local, 5/7/1998
- Netanyahu bent the Oslo process
Despite all press reports and official announcements that the London talks failed to de-freeze the stalled peace process, Netanyahu seemed to be very happy. Even happier than expected. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/6/1998 - A.L. committee to challenge Israeli media campaigns Regional-Palestine, Politics, 5/6/1998
- After London breakdown: What is the real gap between Arabs and Israel?
An important question has been raised asking why the Israeli prime minister visited Cairo before the London talks. Egyptian insiders said Netanyahu was busy trying to sell Egypt his plan for conditional withdrawal from south Lebanon -- a plan rejected by the two responsible sides, Lebanon and Syria -- in an attempt to break the unified stance of the two states and the Arab world. Palestine, Reporter's View, 5/6/1998 - Sheikh Yassin's visit to South Africa provokes controversy
The forthcoming visit of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin to South Africa has raised controversy in both official and non-official circles in the Cape. Palestine, Politics, 5/6/1998 - Palestinian president meets with Moroccan King
An official source in the Moroccan government said that the Palestinian leader has informed the Moroccan monarch about the outcomes of peace talks in London, and Arafat's flexibility toward achieving progress. Palestine-Regional, Politics, 5/6/1998 - London talks end with failure
Former US Secretary of State James Baker, meanwhile, suggested that the US say publicly that it supports a 13.1 percent Israeli withdrawal. Baker censured the Clinton Administration's handling of the political process, saying that Washington today lacks the courage to pressure Israel, by going public with its peace initiative Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/5/1998 - Hamas calls on Arafat reconsider policy
Founder of the Palestinian National Resistance Movement, Hamas, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin has called on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to reconsider his stances, which bargain Yassin said with the Palestinian people's rights, and to join the Palestinian resistance. Palestine-Israel-USA, Politics, 5/5/1998 - Palestinian government denies reports of proposal to release Rantisi
An official source in the Palestinian government denied yesterday reports that the Palestinian government proposed releasing Dr. Abdul Aziz Rantisi, an official spokesman for the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas. Palestine, Politics, 5/5/1998 - Arafat in Cairo tomorrow
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will arrive in Cairo tomorrow on his way back from London after the failed negotiations sponsored by U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated. Palestine-Egypt, Politics, 5/5/1998 - London talks: background
Others who are close to Netanyahu's way of thinking believe the opposite. According to them, a confrontation with the US would lead to a crisis that would end in a compromise that accommodates the Israeli position. According to this assessment, Netanyahu is incapable of implementing the second phase redeployment due to internal threats to his coalition government Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/4/1998 - Palestinian leadership want the U.S. to go public with its offer to Israel
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said that the current negotiations are considered the last chance to prove the effectiveness of the diplomatic efforts being exerted to break the current stalemate in the peace process. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/4/1998 - Iran releases four Palestinians, due to Shiekh Yassin's mediation, Palestine-Iran, Politics, 5/4/1998