WASHINGTON — President Bill Clinton has obtained an agreement from
Israeli and Palestinian leaders for a summit next weekend.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said he will meet Clinton in
Washington over the weekend. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat
said he
will visit the White House, but aides said the meeting could take place
before the Organization of Islamic Conference summit in Doha, set for Nov.
12.
One date being mentioned is Thursday, the day after the U.S.
presidential elections. PA sources said Arafat will leave Monday for Cairo
and talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Middle East Newsline reported.
Barak appeared to shift his position and ended his insistence that the
West Bank and Gaza Strip must first turn quiet before Israel resumes peace
talks with the Palestinians. Instead, Barak said he would hold peace talks
if there is no "major escalation" of violence.
"We are strong enough to stand on both fronts: the battle for peace and
the struggle against violence and terror," Barak said.
On Sunday, the Israeli Haaretz daily reported that Barak plans to reopen
the security arrangements agreed to at the Camp David summit in July. The
newspaper said the prime minister has concluded that Jerusalem now faces
danger of continued Palestinian shooting attacks under the proposals he
submitted at Camp David.
Barak plans to discuss with Clinton continued U.S. aid. The Clinton
administration has sent a package to Congress for $800 million in additional
military aid to Israel as well as increased help to Egypt and Jordan. The
aid to Israel is planned for allocation over the next two years.
So far, the Israeli-PA ceasefire announced last week has still not been
implemented. Israel and the PA have charged each other with violating the
understanding.
Still, Israeli military sources reported diminished Palestinian shooting
attacks over the weekend as PA forces are said to be running low on
ammunition. Overnight Sunday, Israeli forces came under bombing and shooting
attacks in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Battles were reported around
Ramallah and Jericho.
"It's true that the gunfire continues and it's true that there are still
clashes," Barak's chief aide, Danny Yatom, said. "At the same time, I
believe, from what I know, that the Palestinians are trying to calm the
situation."
Palestinians appear divided over the prospect of renewed peace talks.
Both Arafat's ruling Fatah movement and their Islamic allies oppose a
return to the talks without an improvement in their positions. The Hamas
movement opposes any peace talks with Israel.
Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti told students at Bir Zeit University that
the uprising against Israel must spread to every street and against every
Jewish settlement. "The uprising could strengthen or diminish," Barghouti
said. "But the Palestinian people have decided to continue."
