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U.S. mediator sees Hebron deal on near horizon
Israelis evicted after seizing Hebron houses
December 25, 1996
Web posted at: 5:55 p.m. EST (2255 GMT)RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- A deal between the Israelis and Palestinians concerning Hebron could finally be finished next week, U.S. envoy Dennis Ross said Wednesday after leading days of negotiations.
"The work is going very well, and ... I hope and expect that we will conclude an agreement shortly thereafter," Ross told reporters after meeting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Ross said he would give a positive report to President Clinton and would return to the region for further negotiations no later than Monday. He spoke before heading back to Washington from the Middle East.
Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Tuesday after months of deadlock in the talks on Hebron, where 400 Jewish settlers live among 100,000 Palestinians.
"We hope that we will have this agreement for the implementation of what had been agreed upon very soon," Arafat told reporters.
Israelis evicted after seizing houses
In Hebron, Israeli troops scuffled with Jewish settlers on rooftops and in the streets during protests against the expected handover of most of the West Bank town to Palestinian rule.
Three gasoline bombs were thrown at Israeli soldiers and settlers, but caused no injuries or damage, Israeli military sources said. Five Palestinians were arrested.
Soldiers and police evicted about 20 Jews in disturbances that began with the settlers' pre-dawn takeover of four vacant houses in an Arab neighborhood.
The settlers said two of the houses were Jewish-owned. They said they feared the other buildings would be used to house Palestinian guerrillas.
Israel has previously agreed to transfer 80 percent of Hebron, holy to both Muslims and Jews, to the Palestinian Authority. The troop withdrawal is nine months' overdue.
The Arab neighborhood where Wednesday's clashes took place is in the 20 percent of Hebron due to remain under Israeli occupation.
Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Israelis evicted after seizing Hebron houses - December 25, 1996
- Netanyahu joins Israeli-PLO talks; Hebron deal may be near - December 23, 1996
- Netanyahu joins Israeli-PLO talks; Hebron deal may be near - December 23, 1996
- U.S. mediator tries to break Mideast deadlock - December 21, 1996
- As Hebron talks languish, delay may benefit Arafat - December 18,1996
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