February 2, 2000
Web posted at: 11:53 p.m. EST (0453 GMT)

In this story: Maps rejected because of land Israel would retain Palestinians demand U.S. intervention Transfer gives Palestinians 40 percent control PLO deputies meet to ponder statehood RELATED STORIES, SITES

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Less than two weeks before a crucial peace deadline, Palestinians on Wednesday dismissed Israel's opening offer for a final border as "nonsense" and said that talks were going nowhere.

The dismissal came as the Israeli security Cabinet gave the go-ahead for more of the West Bank to be handed over to Palestinian control.

Despite their growing impatience with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinians said their heart is still in the negotiations. They put off -- for now -- a unilateral declaration of statehood.

Toyeb Abdel Rahim, a top aide to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat , said they received maps from Israeli negotiators during marathon talks to meet a February 13 deadline for the outline of a permanent agreement.

Maps rejected because of land Israel would retain

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Abdel Rahim said the maps expand Israel's border beyond the current "green line," the invisible divider between Israel and the West Bank.

The maps show Israel maintaining control over the West Bank's eastern border with Jordan and of a north-south artery road running parallel with that border, he said. They would also make some Jewish settlements in the Palestinian areas part of Israel in the final peace treaty.

Abdel Rahim did not say how the maps addressed one of the thorniest issues in final status talks -- the future of Jerusalem. The other major final status issue is the future of Palestinian refugees.

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Barak's office did not respond to requests for comment. The marathon talks were launched Sunday in a bid to complete the outline on time. Barak and Arafat agreed on the deadline last year, along with a September target for a full-fledged peace treaty.

Palestinians demand U.S. intervention

The lack of progress has clearly been frustrating for the Palestinians, who have stepped up their demand for U.S. intervention, hoping that U.S. President Bill Clinton is in the mood to extract historic concessions from Israel. Clinton's Mideast envoy, Dennis Ross, arrived in the region Wednesday to measure progress and met with Barak and Arafat.

"We told President Clinton that these maps are nonsense," Abdel Rahim said. "We consider it as a sign that Israel is not serious and lacks good will regarding final status negotiations." The Palestinians did not present maps, he said.

Transfer gives Palestinians 40 percent control

Israel Radio said the transfer would take place by February 10.

The pullback, expected to go to the full Cabinet for final approval, was to have taken place on January 20 under the terms of an interim peace deal struck in September by Barak and Arafat. Barak put the hand-over on hold amid differences with Arafat over the territory involved. The Palestinians said they were still pushing for the transfer to include land around Jerusalem.

Barak and Arafat were set to meet on Thursday to determine whether the parties can still reach a framework for a final deal by the target date.

The latest hand-over will increase full or partial Palestinian control to around 40 percent of the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 war. Palestinians also have interim self-rule in most of the Gaza Strip.

That is well short of the total control Arafat is seeking in his push for Palestinian independence in the West Bank and Gaza in negotiations with Israel on a final peace settlement. Barak rules out giving up all of the West Bank. Arafat repeatedly has said he will declare an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip this year, regardless of the course of negotiations.

PLO deputies meet to ponder statehood

Salim al-Zaanoun, chairman of the Palestinian Central Council, said the 129-member body "in this meeting or future meetings, will take the appropriate decision at the right time on the declaration of the state."

About 200 demonstrators gathered in front of Arafat's office, where the council was meeting, to demand an immediate declaration of statehood.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Israel, Palestinians launch new round of peace talks
January 30, 2000
White House: No meeting set between Clinton, Mideast leaders
January 23, 2000
Arafat describes talks with Clinton as 'fruitful'
January 20, 2000

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