Mideast clashes continue despite Israeli-Palestinian agreement

Clinton, flanked by Barak, left, and Arafat stands before delivering the final statement at the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

WEB EXCLUSIVE On the scene with Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem On the scene with John King in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt On the scene with Ben Wedeman in Bethlehem

Proof of summit success yet to be seen, leaders say

In this story: Wary end to long negotiations More clashes in West Bank, Gaza Clinton's goals accomplished Return to peace talks in the future? RELATED STORIES, SITES

CNN Correspondents Christiane Amanpour, Walter Rodgers, John King, Ben Wedeman and Jerrold Kessel contributed to this report.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNN) -- Israeli and Palestinian leaders returned home Tuesday after an emergency summit to the very scene that marathon talks had been aimed at ending: angry street clashes between rock-throwing Palestinians and Israeli security forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat agreed to a "statement of intent" during a day of intense negotiations at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

ALSO Barak says end of violence will be true test of summit agreement Clashes in West Bank, Gaza blaze on despite agreement Palestinians 'enraged' by Sharm el-Sheikh agreement    VIDEO Clinton announces the agreement (October 17) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Clinton transcript CNN interviewed Albright after the summit (October 17) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Barak holds a news conference after the summit (October 17) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi comments by phone at the summit's conclusion (October 17) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     TRANSCRIPTS U.S.: President Clinton Egypt: President Mubarak     GALLERY Turmoil surrounds first day of Middle East summit (Oct. 16)     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace     RESOURCES Mideast struggle for peace

But neither leader signed the statement, leaving it to U.S. President Bill Clinton to announce that they had agreed to take "immediate, concrete steps" to end the violence that has claimed the lives of nearly 100 people, almost all of them Palestinians.

"Our meeting has not been easy because the last two weeks have been so hard, a tragic and terrible confrontation costing many lives and injuries," said Clinton, who added that he believed the leaders had "made real progress" toward a solution.

"Repairing the damage will take time and great effort by all of us," he said. "When we leave here today, we will have to work hard to consolidate what we have agreed."

Wary end to long negotiations

Clinton's statement called for a redeployment of Israeli troops from the edges of Palestinian territories, the reopening of Palestinian territories and the Gaza airport, and a commission of inquiry into the last 2 1/2 weeks of violence.

Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians were satisfied with the results of the emergency summit, but both said they were anxious to see how their agreements were ultimately implemented.

Barak, speaking in Egypt before leaving for Israel, alluded to doubts that Arafat could be considered Israel's "partner in peace."

"We are talking about a major change in reality that has to come about," Barak said. "We are not idiots. If it turns out that this situation where there is no partner (in peace) remains the same, then we will know what to do."

Arafat, upon his return to Gaza, said implementation of the agreement was the key.

"The most important thing in yesterday's and today's events is the implementation, which we expect to be an accurate and honest implementation of what has been agreed on," Arafat said.

The agreement brought the leaders back to the situation that existed on September 28, when the violence erupted in the wake of a controversial visit to a disputed East Jerusalem shrine by Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon.

Control over and access to the site, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and as Haram as-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) to Arabs, is at the heart of the disputes that have kept the Israelis and Palestinians from concluding a peace agreement.

More clashes in West Bank, Gaza

But on the ground -- where both sides said the test of each other's commitment to the agreement would be seen -- clashes erupted in several West Bank and Gaza locations.

Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi told CNN that Palestinians were "enraged" by the agreement and believed it did nothing to end what they see as Israel's occupation of their land.

But Palestinian Cabinet member Nabil Shaath said that while the Palestinians were not happy with the statement, they saw no real alternative.

"What can we do?" he said. "We want to save the lives of our people."

Clinton's goals accomplished

At the summit's closing session, Clinton warned that the path back to peace would be a difficult one, and said that the finger-pointing and blame that has characterized many public comments from both sides for the past three weeks will serve only to damage the process.

"We should have no illusions about the difficulties ahead," he said. "If we are going to rebuild confidence and trust, we must all do our part, avoiding recrimination and moving forward."

The agreement, which both sides said was binding on all parties, accomplished all three goals set forward by Clinton at the start of the summit on Monday.

The statement called for a restoration of calm in the region, the establishment of a fact-finding mission on the causes of the violence and a commitment to return to peace negotiations.

"Both sides have agreed to issue public statements unequivocally ending the violence" and would work to eliminate points of friction, Clinton said.

The United States agreed to lead the fact-finding mission in conjunction with the Israelis and Palestinians and in consultation with the United Nations. Clinton said the results would be shared with the U.N. and released under the auspices of his office.

The mission had been one of the key sticking points of the Sharm el-Sheikh talks -- Arafat had insisted on a U.N.-led mission, but Barak wanted the United States to head up the inquiry -- and the agreement represented a compromise.

Return to peace talks in the future?

Finally, Clinton said, the leaders agreed to consultation with the United States on a return to the negotiating table. That point was perhaps one of the most important to the American president, who has pushed for a lasting peace in the region for seven years -- and faces the prospects of ending his presidency in a few months without having achieved it.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told CNN "that despite the anger and what was happening on the ground that there were real indications from both (Arafat and Barak) that they did see the peace process as their vehicle to end this and they both in fact wanted to come to Washington in order to work out the procedure."

"I think frankly the horrors of what has been seen and the tragedy has impelled them to understand that there is a choice between a future like what we've seen in the last 10 days and one where they can learn to live together," Albright said.

The Palestinians, too, see the resumption of the peace process as a crucial element.

"The second step should be, as President Clinton announced, is really the resumption of the peace process," said Hassan Abdel Rahman, the Palestinian representative to the United States.

A return to the peace process, Rahman said, would show Palestinians "that their plight (and) their right to be an independent people" had been heard.

Barak, too, acknowledged the importance of forging a lasting peace.

"The Palestinian people are our neighbors forever," he said. "We will have to carry this responsibility together with the Palestinians and put an end to the violence in the region."

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U.N. leader improves hopes for resolving Mideast crisis
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Barak lifts deadline on Palestinians; says he'll attend U.S.-hosted summit if called
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