Note: The translations of articles from the Hebrew press
are prepared by the Government Press Office
as a service to foreign journalists in Israel.
They express the views of the authors.
Seeing the Light at the End of the Tunnel
(Analysis by Shimon Shiffer, "Yediot Ahronot", Aug 25, 1999, p. A4)
The Israelis suspect that the Palestinians are dragging out the
negotiations until Albright arrives in order to allow the US the right to
have the last word.
On Monday, Gilad Sher called his Palestinian counterpart, Saeb Erikat, and
requested a time-out from him, a break in that evening's talks on
implementing the Wye Agreement.
Erikat was wary. He suspected that the Israeli side was initiating a
delaying tactic. Sher put him at ease and explained: "We have no intention
of delaying the negotiations. Today is simply my wedding day."
The Israelis and the Palestinians disagree on when the tiring negotiations
on implementing the Wye Agreement which have gone on for several weeks
now will end. The Israeli side is interested in signing the agreement
before US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrives in the region next
Thursday. The Israelis suspect that the Palestinians are dragging out the
negotiations until Albright arrives in order to allow the US the right of
having the last word.
Barak's attempt to repair the Wye Agreement, which Netanyahu signed,
recalls Netanyahu's attempt to correct the agreements which his
predecessors Rabin and Peres had signed. However, there is a visible
difference in Barak's modus operandi, as opposed to Netanyahu's, at least
according to the Palestinians. They are convinced that Barak's negotiators
are more sensitive to their needs than Netanyahu's were.
This is the background to the fact that at the beginning of the week, the
Palestinians gave the impression that most of the unresolved issues had
been resolved target dates for beginning construction of the deepwater
port at Gaza, opening the secure passage between Gaza and the West Bank,
and that there had even been progress toward resolving the problem of
releasing hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners.
However, the Israeli demand that the Palestinians agree to "draw out" the
dates for the pullback from the West Bank in the framework of the second
phase until 15 February 2000 still hovers over everything. Barak, who
while on holiday is monitoring the negotiations, has said to his close
aides that all Israeli agreements are "theoretical" until the sole Israeli
demand on extending the dates of the pullback is accepted. Arafat declared
last night, "As of now, there has been no progress on the main issues."
Assessment: Israel and the Palestinians are very close to achieving an
agreement that will include articles on implemening the Wye Agreement with
certain changes and accelerating the negotiations on the permanent
settlement, while setting the start of 2000 as the target date for
completing them. The sides will not carry out unilateral measures which
could lead to changes in the status of the territories. It is almost
certain that the new agreement will be signed during Albright's visit to
Israel.