The Palestinian leadership has said it has seen "no change" in Israel's attitude in peace talks being held this week, and it called on the Israeli government to end "aggression" and engage in serious negotiations.
A statement issued following the weekly meeting of the Palestinian cabinet late Friday said "no change has been perceived in the Israeli attitude on the occasion of the resumption of negotiations under the aegis of the United States."
Top Israeli negotiators have been meeting behind closed doors with US administration officials at Bolling Air Force base, near Washington, since Tuesday.
The two sides have also met with US President Bill Clinton and with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
"The Israeli government prides itself on wanting to seek peace through negotiations, but at the same time it pursues its policy of aggression, of closing borders and of collective punishment of the Palestinians" in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the statement said.
"The Israeli government is called upon to abandon its policy of aggression and to engage seriously in the negotiations, if it wants to reach a peace accord."
The statement reaffirmed Palestinian demands that a peace deal must entail Israel withdrawing to the territories it controlled before the outbreak of the June 1967 Middle East war and the right of return to the estimated 3.7 million Palestinians, and their descendants, who fled the new Jewish state when it was created in 1948.
Palestinian officials Friday described the talks as in crisis, in stark contrast to Israeli press reports that spoke of significant new offers being made by the Israeli side.
Israeli newspapers reported that the Jewish state has agreed to negotiate on the basis of the June 1967 borders, a consistent Palestinian demand.
In 1967, Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and other territories, including the eastern sector of Jerusalem.
Speaking in Gaza, an advisor to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said reports of progress were incorrect.
"It is not accurate what has been said about progress," he told AFP. "There was not serious progress up until this point. It is still too early to talk about progress."
Top Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are scheduled to meet US President Bill Clinton early Saturday, in a fifth day of talks, despite doubts over whether negotiations here have yielded progress.
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with both sides Friday and was to attend a 9:15 am (1415 GMT) Saturday White House gathering with Clinton, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami, and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.
"Differences still remain ... these remain very challenging issues," said national security spokesman P.J. Crowley.
"It's at least encouraging that the sides are back at negotiations. The president will have the opportunity to hear from them where there's been progress, where differences remain and we'll decide to go from here," he added -- GAZA CITY (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
