Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak threw the ball in Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's court Monday as the two sides debated whether to sign onto last-ditch proposals put forward by US President Bill Clinton for a long-term peace accord.
Speaking on Israeli television, Barak said he would only agree to Clinton's proposals if Arafat gives his response first.
"I believe if Yasser Arafat accepts things as they were presented by President Clinton, we are also compelled to accept them, but I don't know yet right now what the two sides' decisions will be," Barak said.
"If I say now that I accept Bill Clinton's proposals, Yasser Arafat is going to think that he has everything in his pocket. But if I say I will not accept the proposals in any case I will give Arafat the chance to say no and put all the responsibility on Israel," he said.
The Palestinian leadership meanwhile discussed the Clinton proposals for four hours at a Gaza City meeting and agreed to continue their talks Tuesday, an official told AFP.
But Arafat was downcast earlier, speaking on his return from talks in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who also spoke Tuesday to both Clinton and Barak.
"There are still many obstacles" to be lifted before a peace agreement, Arafat said, adding that some ideas had not been modified since Clinton's July Camp David summit, when the Palestinians rejected Israeli offers.
"We will quickly give our answer to the US proposals, but they are not far-reaching enough to find an agreement. ... We need further details," top Arafat adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina added.
Clinton, who is trying to secure an agreement before he leaves office in January, has asked the two sides to deliver their verdicts on his proposals by Wednesday.
Members of Barak's "peace cabinet" met overnight to study Clinton's outline solutions, with Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami, back from five days of talks with the Palestinians in Washington, speaking of a "breakthrough" and recommending Israeli acceptance of the plan, Israeli radio said.
Clinton's proposals reportedly involve Israel turning over control of Arab neighbourhoods in occupied east Jerusalem to the Palestinians along with the al-Aqsa mosque compound or Haram al-Sharif, known to Jews as Temple Mount.
However, the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, would remain under Israeli sovereignty.
In return, Palestinians would waive the right of return for some 3.7 million refugees, with only a small number allowed back to Israel for family reunification, the reports say.
In addition, Israel would withdraw from 95 percent of the West Bank and 100 percent of the Gaza Strip, territories the Jewish state has occupied along with east Jerusalem since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Israel announced Monday it was constructing an alarmed fence along the 1967 ceasefire line with the West Bank, complete with concrete blocks to stop cars.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said the 25 million-dollar project was meant to prevent "terrorist infiltrations," although Israeli officials said the move did not mean recognition of the 1967 lines of control.
An official told AFP the fence was in response to the 12 weeks of fighting in the region that have left more than 350 people dead.
Sporadic shooting incidents continued overnight, although the Holy Land was relatively calm for Christmas.
In Bethlehem, where the gospel says Jesus was born 2,000 years before, there was little sign of Christmas cheer, with rain keeping pilgrims and Palestinians indoors.
"This is no environment of peace. Peace is far away," said Ilyas Rishmawi, organizer of a planned candle-light vigil to mark Christmas in the neighboring village of Beit Sahur Monday.
A survey in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper found Israelis split over the merits of the plan put forward by Clinton five months after the collapse of the peace summit he hosted at the presidential retreat at Camp David in July.
The poll said 48 percent of the 501 Israelis questioned were opposed to the proposals and just 43 percent in favor, with strong objections to the return of refugees in particular.
Barak is facing strong criticism from Israel's right-wing over any peace compromises, with right-wing leader Ariel Sharon, due to face Barak in February 6 elections, saying he would not honor any agreement the caretaker prime minister may make.
Defending himself against charges he is willing to give up on Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, Barak told television he "will not hurt the Israeli people's special tie" with the Temple Mount holy site.
And a poll Monday on Israeli television showed Barak's support shooting up in the event of a peace deal, with 33 percent of voters supporting Barak compared with 37 percent for Sharon. Another 17 percent of voters were unsure whom to vote for and another 13 percent choose none of the above.
But if no accord is reached Sharon would win 38 percent of the vote, versus only 24 percent for Barak. Another 17 percent was undecided and 21 percent would not vote.
The poll, which has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points, was conducted on 501 people by the Geogracartographia Institute and broadcast on Israel's Channel Two -- JERUSALEM (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
