World Tribune.com

Israel plan to recognize refugee return sparks furor

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Saturday, December 30, 2000

JERUSALEM — Israel plans to recognize the Palestinian demand for the return of up to millions of refugees to the Jewish state.

Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami told the Cabinet on Wednesday that Israel will agree to the return of Palestinians, but the agreement will be in principle and not be translated into practice.

The assertion sparked criticism by several ministers. They warned that Israel must make it clear that it will not allow Palestinians refugees to flow into the country. Several of them criticized the Clinton proposals as vague and open to interpretation that could damage Israel's interests.

"I don't like it," Deputy Prime Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said.

Palestinian sources said Israel has already agreed to the entry of between 150,000 and 250,000 refugees in the northern Negev. They said Israel wants the Palestinians to be settled in a small area near the Gaza Strip that will join any Palestinian state.

On early Thursday, the Israeli Cabinet endorsed in principle the Clinton plan. But the Cabinet raised reservations over portions of the plan.

Former Education Minister Yossi Sarid, who attended the Cabinet meeting, said he envisions further Israeli concessions. He would not elaborate but he did not rule out conceding on Israel's demands for sovereignty in the area under the Temple Mount.

"On the Temple Mount, there will not be Israeli sovereignty," Sarid told Israel radio on Thursday.

In a 10 to 2 vote, with two abstentions, the Cabinet said the U.S. bridging proposals served as a basis of an agreement with the Palestinians. But they appeared to link Israel's proposal to that of the Palestinian Authority.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz expressed criticism of several portions of the Clinton plan. Mofaz was said to be critical of the U.S. proposal that Israeli troops would leave the Jordan valley after a period of between three to six years. Mofaz wanted a longer period of Israeli troop deployment.

For his part, Clinton telephoned leaders around the Middle East. They included Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's King Abdullah, Saudi King Fahd and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

"The issues are extremely difficult, but they are closer than they have ever been before and I hope they seize this opportunity," Clinton said. "Prime Minister Barak has said that he would accept and continue negotiations if the Palestinians would, and we'll see what happens. There's a lot of things going on now and will be in the next several days, and I think, as I said, the less I say about them all the better."

Wednesday, December 27, 2000

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