November 15 is the "final" date for declaring a Palestinian state, the deputy speaker of the Palestine National Council (PNC) said in statements published Tuesday.
"The Palestine National Council will declare a Palestinian state during its meeting in Gaza on November 15," Taysser Qub'a told the Jordanian economic daily Al-Aswaq.
"There will be no delay in declaring the state and this is final," he said.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has repeatedly vowed to announce the borders of an independent state in the year 2000, even unilaterally in the absence of any peace accord with Israel.
Arafat said last week the central committee of his Palestine Liberation Organization would meet before November 15 to discuss the creation of a Palestinian state.
"I do not know what the central committee will decide," Arafat said. "We are democratic, and what the central committee decides will be respected."
The Palestinian leader threatened to proclaim an independent state on September 13 but delayed the announcement after he received no support for this action from world leaders.
September 13 was the target date for a final accord with Israel which failed to be met.
November 15 is the anniversary of the PLO's 1988 declaration of independence, made in Algiers during the Intifada or popular uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip which ended with the Oslo accords of 1993.
The Palestinians want to set up the capital of their state in east Jerusalem, the mostly Arab sector of the disputed city annexed by Israel in 1967.
Arafat's Palestinian Authority currently has full or partial control over some 40 percent of the West Bank and total control of around 70 percent of the Gaza Strip.
Qub'a meanwhile said that the current anti-Israeli Intifada that erupted in September "will continue until the liberation of all the land in accordance with international legislation".
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's principal adviser, Danny Yatom, warned Saturday that Israel would hit back militarily, politically and economically if the Palestinians unilaterally proclaim an independent state.AMMAN, Nov 7 (AFP) -
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
