ISRAEL: CABINET MEETING DISCUSSES PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD
(10 Jan 1999) Natural Sound Israeli cabinet ministers gathered for their weekly meeting on Sunday with discussions of a possible Palestinian declaration of statehood this year high on the agenda. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers that the Egyptian president had added his voice to calls for the Palestinians to abandon their plans for statehood. Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, former Prime Minister Shimon Peres told Israeli television that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had expressed willingness to put off the planned declaration if peace talks resume. Arafat's office refused to confirm or deny those reports. Israeli cabinet members gather for their weekly meeting in Jerusalem. Topping the agenda for discussion was the question of whether Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would follow through on threats to declare Palestinian statehood on May 4. The Palestinians have said previously that they have the right to declare their own state in May, whether or not terms have been negotiated with Israel. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his ministers that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was pressing Arafat to hold off on declaring statehood. Israel has called the Palestinian stance irresponsible and dangerous and demanded that Arafat stop talking about unilateral statehood plans. Palestinians were initially defiant, but have recently toned down statehood talk. They appear worried that resulting security jitters from such talk would give a boost to Netanyahu in May 17 elections. Meanwhile, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who met with the Palestinian leader last week, said that Arafat had expressed willingness to him to put off the plan, if peace negotiations resumed. Peres made the comments in an interview with Israel's Channel Two aired on Sunday. The U-S-brokered Wye River peace accord, signed in October, has been foundering over the past month. Israel called off a promised troop withdrawal, citing what it said were Palestinian violations of the accord. The Palestinians deny violating the agreement, and say they will not meet new terms set by Israel. While other diplomatic sticking points remain, it appears the Palestinians may be ready to give some ground on the volatile issue of statehood to ease the way for peace. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
