U.S. envoy to push for breakthrough in Mideast peace talks

Ross arrived in Jerusalem on Monday

February 21, 2000
Web posted at: 12:26 PM EST (1726 GMT)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Hopes for a breakthrough in the stalled Middle East peace talks were pinned firmly on U.S. envoy Dennis Ross, who arrived in Jerusalem Monday to do what he could to bring the Mideast adversaries back to the negotiating table.

The Palestinians have said the peace talks reached a crisis status because Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak had neglected his Palestinian neighbors while pursuing peace on a Syrian and Lebanese track. And now, said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, nothing is moving forward.

"The Syrian track is frozen, the Lebanese track is frozen and the Palestinian track is frozen," said Erakat. "That's the situation now."

VIDEO CNN's Walter Rodgers looks at the latest efforts to restart the Middle East peace talks. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast Peace

But Barak said Monday he had new proposals to present to the Palestinians.

"We will try in the next few days to shape a kind of package through contacts with the Palestinians that would help take the wagon out of where it is right now and put it back on track," he said in a speech to U.S. Jewish leaders.

While Barak offered no elaboration on his proposals, the Israeli daily Maariv said the package would include the opening of a new land route between the West Bank and Gaza, resolution of purchase tax disputes, and an improvement in Israel's offer to withdraw from 6.1 percent of West Bank land.

Missed deadlines

The Palestinians rejected Israel's last offer, saying the land the Jewish state chose to hand over to Palestinian control was unacceptable.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo said he feared Barak's new offers would focus too much on secondary issues -- like the new passage and purchase tax -- in an attempt "to give the false impression that there is progress in the peace process."

Barak says he has new proposals to present to the Palestinians

The 6.1 percent withdrawal was to have been completed by January 20, and the two sides missed a February 13 deadline to reach a blueprint for a final peace treaty. The final peace treaty is due in September.

The Palestinians said they would not resume talks with Israel until Barak assures them of no more missed deadlines.

Nabil Abourdeneh, adviser to Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, said it was "imperative" that Ross press Barak to adhere to already agreed upon dates. But Barak reiterated that dates were "not sacred."

Ross was to meet with Barak on Monday and with Arafat on Tuesday.

Jerusalem Bureau Chief Walter Rodgers and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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