Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that he doubted a deal could be reached with the Palestinians before US President Bill Clinton's term ends on January 20.
"President Clinton has only got three weeks left. It's not logical to think that he can push through an agreement in the last week of his mandate," Barak said on military radio.
"(Palestinian leader) Yasser Arafat has lost precious time by asking for all sorts of clarifications of the American proposals," added Barak, who also said that he did not think an peace deal could be reached ahead of the Israeli prime ministerial election on February 6.
"We have grave doubts over Yasser Arafat's resolve to reach an accord," he said.
Arafat left overnight for talks with Clinton at the White House on Tuesday.
The Palestinian leader is seeking clarification of the US peace proposals, a Palestinian official said, adding that the meeting had been agreed after a telephone conversation between the two on Monday.
There was little let-up in the conflict Monday, with 20 people injured, one of them seriously, in an anti-Israeli bomb attack in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv. Four Palestinians died in other incidents -- JERUSALEM (AFP)
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