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Mideast summit called off after Palestinian reply to US proposals
A planned summit with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders, set for Thursday, has been cancelled after the Palestinians expressed deep reservations about US President Bill Clinton`s proposals for a comprehensive peace settlement.
A planned summit with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders, set for Thursday, has been cancelled after the Palestinians expressed deep reservations about US President Bill Clinton's proposals for a comprehensive peace settlement.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak were to meet at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh Thursday. But In an announcement early Thursday, Egypt's information ministry said Barak would not arrive and the summit was off.
The cancellation appeared to be a setback to Clinton's efforts to achieve a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians before he leaves office on January 20. Also, Barak is pressing for an accord to take to his voters in February 6 elections for prime minister. Earlier, the Palestinian leadership delivered a letter to the US government about Clinton's initiative. A senior Palestinian official said it amounted to a rejection of Clinton's ideas. The official, insisting on anonymity, said the proposals did not meet the minimum Palestinian requirements for an agreement with Israel. There was no immediate comment from Israeli or Palestinian officials about the Egyptian announcement. Israel's Cabinet was in a late-night session, discussing Israel's response to the US proposals, when Egypt announced that the summit meeting was off. The Israeli leadership was expected to approve the US ideas with some reservations.
Two ministers said they would vote against the proposals, objecting to the US suggestion that Israel agree to Palestinian sovereignty over a disputed holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem. For the Palestinians, the main sticking point appeared to be Clinton's proposal that they dramatically scale back their long-standing demand that millions of Palestinian refugees be able to return to their former homes in what is now Israel.
"The American ideas did not comply with the Palestinian principles and the Palestinian principles are clear and obvious," said Dr Samir Gusha, a member of Palestinian decision-making body that met Wednesday night. Bureau Report
The cancellation appeared to be a setback to Clinton's efforts to achieve a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians before he leaves office on January 20. Also, Barak is pressing for an accord to take to his voters in February 6 elections for prime minister. Earlier, the Palestinian leadership delivered a letter to the US government about Clinton's initiative. A senior Palestinian official said it amounted to a rejection of Clinton's ideas. The official, insisting on anonymity, said the proposals did not meet the minimum Palestinian requirements for an agreement with Israel. There was no immediate comment from Israeli or Palestinian officials about the Egyptian announcement. Israel's Cabinet was in a late-night session, discussing Israel's response to the US proposals, when Egypt announced that the summit meeting was off. The Israeli leadership was expected to approve the US ideas with some reservations.
Two ministers said they would vote against the proposals, objecting to the US suggestion that Israel agree to Palestinian sovereignty over a disputed holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem. For the Palestinians, the main sticking point appeared to be Clinton's proposal that they dramatically scale back their long-standing demand that millions of Palestinian refugees be able to return to their former homes in what is now Israel.
"The American ideas did not comply with the Palestinian principles and the Palestinian principles are clear and obvious," said Dr Samir Gusha, a member of Palestinian decision-making body that met Wednesday night. Bureau Report