A top Palestinian official said Monday that Yasser Arafat's government is considering declaring a state
in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem if Israel tries to impose a boundary on the Palestinians.
The possibility was raised during a meeting of Palestinian
leaders during the weekend, Yasser Abed Rabbo said, and added that many of those present supported the idea,
but did not say whether Arafat was also in favor.
However, other participants said the proposal was only raised informally and was not part of the agenda.
Abed Rabbo insisted that declaring independence - which
would mean walking away from the so-called "road map"
for peace - was a serious option.
"We are not discussing this as an academic exercise,"
Abed Rabbo told a news conference. "We are discussing this
as a real possibility." (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
