Israel to ease Palestinian work restrictions, Peres says

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres announced Sunday an easing of Israel's clampdown on Palestinians but expressed doubts about the value of early Palestinian elections.

Speaking on CNN's "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer," Peres said Israel decided Sunday to allow more Palestinians to work in Israel, increasing the number to 12,000 from 7,000.

His comments came in response to questions about Israel's Tuesday bombing in Gaza City, which killed Salah Shehade, the head of Hamas' military wing, and 14 civilians, including nine children.

Some critics suggested the bombing was an Israeli attempt to torpedo efforts to restart negotiations, but Peres said, "I am convinced that this is not the case."

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Peres said last week that Israel was considering releasing Palestinian tax revenue that Israel froze after the current Palestinian intifada began 22 months ago.

Under pressure from the United States and other countries to reform the Palestinian leadership, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has said that he would try to hold general elections soon.

"I have my doubts because I don't think that democracy means only elections," Peres said. "Unless the Palestinian Authority will establish some democratic principles, especially concerning the economic situation, the financial situation and the security situation, elections will mean nothing.

"Unless they will control their forces, unless they will manage their money, what will the elections help?"

Peres said he welcomed a visit to Israel by U.S. civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and his message of nonviolence.

"He is speaking about a policy which is similar to the one that Gandhi and Nelson Mandela and [Martin] Luther King [Jr.] adopted," Peres said. "And if the Palestinians will follow suit, will take those leaders and their policies as an example, they will win much more [than] by using arms, believe me."

In a separate interview, Jordan's King Abdullah said relations between Israel and Palestinians will be the focus of his visit to Washington this week. Abdullah said part of his effort would be to work with the European Union, United Nations, United States and Russia on organizing an international conference on the Mideast crisis.

"The second part of the visit is really to explain the humanitarian suffering that the Palestinian people are experiencing at the moment," he said.