Sunday

Prime Minister Barak Heads Into Middle East Peace Summit Amid Growing Political Instability in Israel

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ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour with the high-stakes Mideast summit set to begin Tuesday at Camp David. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak heads into peace talks with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, but he goes without support from right wing and religious parties and his foreign minister.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel has more now on today's dramatic political developments in Jerusalem.

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JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prime Minister Ehud Barak says he'll travel to Camp David to try to make peace no matter what. But the rabbis of the Shas ultrareligious party, whom the Israeli prime minister has courted assiduously for the past two weeks, have again put him in the hot seat. Shas decided to pull out of Mr. Barak's government on the eve of his departure for what's been billed "a make-or-break peace summit."

The Shas defection is only the latest link in a fast evolving chain reaction that undercuts Mr. Barak's domestic political stability and leaves him with a minuscule coalition. The first step, a walk in to walk out, Natan Sharansky, head of the Russian Immigrants Party, shows his letter of resignation. He says Mr. Barak has already promised to give away too much land to the Palestinians.

NATAN SHARANSKY, RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS PARTY: There was no attempt to bring together a broad consensus among the members of the coalition on the peace process. Unfortunately, they've already reached some understanding with the Palestinians in the secret negotiations which cannot be acceptable.

KESSEL: The right-wing national religious party is also out. And more seriously for Mr. Barak, his foreign minister, David Levy has decided not to travel to the peace talks.

In contrast, Palestinians seem to be closing ranks around their leader. Yasser Arafat is rallying support. His invitation to some small factions in the PLO to join him at Camp David has been accepted.

SHLOMO BEN AMI, CHIEF ISRAELI NEGOTIATOR: You must adapt the methodology to the inevitability of compromise, and this is exactly what we should do, and when you face such a dilemma, there is a sense of rebellion.

KESSEL (on camera): As his rebellion built up, Mr. Barak with bravado said he will still go to the summit if only half his cabinet and just a quarter of parliament was behind him. With that dire prediction now reality, Mr. Barak's immediate goal is to try to keep his promise just by getting through the next few hours so that he can board his plane for Camp David.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

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BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are in Washington today preparing for Tuesday's start of the Middle East summit, and CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us now live from Washington.

Kelly, how do administration officials think the political shakeup in Israel is going to affect these talks this week?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brian, it is a subject that could come up when President Clinton meets later this evening with his Middle East policy team here at the White House. But the president's top aides say, for the most part, Prime Minister Barak's domestic problems should not impact the chances of success at the summit. These officials say that Mr. Barak is determined to pursue a peace agreement, that he was elected on a mandate for peace, and that he will take any decisions to the Israeli people in a referendum.

Mr. Clinton did not comment about Mr. Barak's political standing back at home as he left church today. Inside, the president's pastor talked about this week's Camp David summit and asked parishioners to pray for a peaceful spirit in the talks.

Mr. Clinton certainly knows the stakes are very high. In an op- ed in "Newsweek" magazine he writes: "If the parties do not seize this moment to make more progress, there will be more hostility and more bitterness, and perhaps even more violence."

Earlier today, Mr. Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger echoed that point and said the two leaders have a choice to make, a choice of piece or more violence.

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SAMUEL BERGER, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: As I said, progress has been made by the negotiators, but at the negotiating level they have essentially hit a wall. As the president said the other day, the Middle East peace process knows no status quo. It will either move forward toward an agreement or slip backward toward turmoil and conflict. And I think all of the leaders believe that they must make an effort to try to reach an agreement.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: Prime Minister Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat are expected to arrive in the Washington area tomorrow and then head to the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. Mr. Clinton is expected to head there Tuesday for his first meetings with the leaders, hoping to try to help them resolve the thorniest issues between them, issues such as the fate of Palestinian refugees and the future of Jerusalem.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, reporting live from the White House.

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