Hope for new Mideast summit

JERUSALEM -- Efforts have resumed to arrange a summit between Palestinian and Israeli leaders before Israeli elections, Palestinian and Israeli sources are quoted as saying.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak called off peace contacts with the Palestinians on Sunday until after the election on February 6, and halted attempts to arrange a summit with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in Sweden later this week. He has given no indication in public that he might now change his mind.

"There could be a summit before the election. It could be anywhere," Palestinian Information Minister and negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo said.

Reuters says it has been told by Israeli diplomatic sources that efforts are under way to organise a summit before the prime ministerial election. However, Barak's office did not comment.

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Barak suspended peace contacts after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat accused Israel of waging "a savage and barbaric war" against Palestinians.

But in a television interview shown in Israel on Monday, Arafat said he was still ready for talks and that the sides had made progress at negotiations in Egypt last week.

Israeli media have speculated that if a summit were held, it might take place in Egypt under the sponsorship of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Arafat is reported to be leaving open the possibility of preserving some Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

The Associated Press, quoting an interview with Arafat broadcast on Israeli television, reported that the Palestinian leader had departed from his previous stance that all Jewish settlements must be removed.

Arafat indicated that under a possible peace deal with Israel, he might allow some settlements to remain in the West Bank. "It's still under negotiations," he was quoted as saying in the Associated Press report.

With just a week to go before Israeli elections, right-winger Ariel Sharon has a 20 percent lead in opinion polls ahead of Barak.

A Gallup poll of 1,300 people published on Tuesday in the Maariv newspaper showed the Likud leader beating the 58-year-old Labour chief soundly with 52 percent of the vote compared to 32 percent for Barak.

However, according to the poll, 35 percent of Israeli Arabs plan to vote for Barak and 10 percent to back Sharon.

The poll showed Sharon neck and neck with Shimon Peres if Barak were to step aside and let the former prime minister run as the Labour candidate.

A Globes-Smith poll published in the Globes afternoon newspaper on Monday had Sharon beating Barak 41 percent to 23 percent -- gaining four points after a last-ditch peace effort at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Taba failed on Saturday.

Arafat told Israel Channel Two television that he did not mind who won the Israeli election. "I don't interfere in the Israeli business," he said. "I respect completely what you are doing. It is your election ... It's not my business."

Arafat said he wanted to continue peace talks after the Israeli election. In the latest violence, Israeli troops shot dead a 21-year-old Palestinian in Gaza on Monday. Later, Palestinian gunmen killed a 55-year-old Israeli motorist in the West Bank.

At least 313 Palestinians, 49 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed during four months of bloodshed.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

Arafat may allow Jewish settlements
January 29, 2001
Sharon calls peace talks a campaign ploy by Barak
January 28, 2001
Arafat blasts Israel at Davos
January 28, 2001
Mideast negotiators want to continue talks after Israeli elections
January 27, 2001
Killings overshadow Mideast talks
January 21, 2001

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Palestinian National Authority
PLO Negotiations Affairs Department
Israeli Prime Minister's Office

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