Barak, Arafat meet after Arafat pushes for Palestinian statehood

March 7, 2000
Web posted at: 7:10 p.m. EST (0010 GMT)

In this story: Talks stalled for a month Arafat facing discontent among Palestinians RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports.

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met Tuesday in an attempt to restart stalled peace negotiations after Arafat called for Palestinian statehood before the end of the year -- with or without an agreement with Israel.

The Associated Press reported that a senior Palestinian official said Barak and Arafat met in Savyon, a suburb of Tel Aviv.

	MESSAGE BOARD
Middle East

Arafat's comments to the Palestinian Legislative Council were his strongest to date on the prospect of an independent homeland -- a question that is supposed to be settled by peace talks that have been stalled for more than a month.

"This is the moment of truth. Israel should stop wasting time, stop playing with the agreement," Arafat said. "We don't have lots of time. We have to implement the agreements."

Arafat and Barak are committed to concluding a full peace agreement by September that will include final settlements on the status of the Palestinians and of Jerusalem.

Barak's office said it had no comment on Arafat's speech, in which the Palestinian leader blamed Israel for the impasse and called for international intervention to secure an agreement.

Negotiations between the two sides stalled after a February 3 summit between Barak and Arafat, when they failed to agree on plans for Israel to turn over 6.1 percent more West Bank land to Palestinian self-rule. The handover had been scheduled for January.

Palestinian officials say Israel had identified 10 percent of land from which they could select 6.1 percent for the stalled handover, but that Israel had excluded areas around Jerusalem that Palestinians wanted.

Tuesday's meeting came as U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross headed back to the region a week after a previous visit failed to jump-start the talks. His return has encouraged Palestinian officials, who have sought the aid of other nations in restarting the talks.

"We've been exerting maximum efforts with the Americans, Egyptians (and) Europeans to get one magic word from the government of Mr. Barak -- implementation of outstanding commitments," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said.

Barak acknowledged Monday there were "significant gaps" on the nature of an agreement but said he believed the conflict could be resolved.

The Palestinians prefer to win statehood as a result of a peace agreement with Israel. A unilateral declaration by Arafat would leave his Palestinian Authority with control over less than half of the West Bank, and might lead to a military confrontation with Israel.

Arafat agreed in May 1999 to postpone a declaration of statehood, and he may find it difficult to do so again if no pact with Israel is reached. He also faces widespread Palestinian dismay at the bogged-down peace talks -- and with his own performance.

"I don't think the Palestinians will wait until September," said Palestinian activist Mustafa Barghouti. "It's boiling already. You can see it boiling everywhere, the frustration."

Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and Reuters contributed to this report.

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