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"THE HOT SPOT"
CHN "special report" 10-8-98 Daniel 7:8 " I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots.." It is in this passage of scripture that we are told that the Peacemaker/Antichrist will "up-root" the three rouge kings that come against his pact of peace with the Jews. As you know, it is our contention that King Hussein of Jordan is this "little horn" character, and that Iraq, Syria, and Libya are the three rouge Kings. And because all prophecy continues toward it's own fulfillment in real time, we would like to now draw attention to the scenario that is presently and suddenly taking place on today's stage of history that demonstrates how close we are to Jordan's King having to confront both Syria and Libya in his own defense, and ultimately in defense of the forth coming peace pact that he is pivotally involved in with Israel and the Palestinians. There is no secret that Syria's Assad and Jordan's King hate each other. Suddenly, in one week, it has surfaced that Turkey has given Syria an ultimatum of war if present conditions between them are not rectified. To know the particulars of the conditions read the accompanying articles. So, Syria finds itself threatened with war by the largest and best equipped army in the Middle East, who has just concluded a military pact with Israel and covertly with Jordan. Turkey's army is the second largest army in NATO, second only to the United States. So this is as serious a threat as Syria can imagine. Assad is furious, but must remain diplomatic toward both Israel and Turkey to try and resolve this, but in his anger he has lashed out at who he considers the "pip-squeak" of the trio...Jordan. He has accused the King of having held up Arab military support for Damascus in the 1973 Middle East War. The most serious of accusations toward the King's honor, Arab allegiance, and integrity. So, a war of words has begun at this very critical time in the peace making process, which will develop into Syria's continued disagreement with peace with Israel especially as brokered by the King. And now that this threat of war against Syria has been leveled by Turkey, here comes Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi weighing in on Syria's side, saying "any aggression against Syria will be considered as an aggression against Libya according to the Arab joint defense pact." So, we have the most serious situation of threat's of war, and the most critical time in the stalled peace process about to happen in Washington on October 15, on a definite collision course. And what individual is becoming more and more the key person in both instances...Jordan's King. As we reported in our most recent commentary, King Hussein has been invited to attend the Washington Summit, at which he will continue his "brokering position"..[vis-a-vis the Hebron agreement], and now becomes the point man in Assad's verbal attack in response to his being threatened with war. As we continue to "watch" the possibility of the Rapture happening in this next window of opportunity, this is exactly one of the scenarios that would have to be lining up for the "up-rooting" to take place. As we begin our 19th year of watching through our Daniel glasses, it never ceases to amaze us how every jot and tittle of God's word is so perfectly fulfilled. Jesus is Lord.. Luke 12:37 CNN October 7, 1998 Jordan accuses Syria of `insult' over 1973 war Key Statement: "...Relations between Syria and Jordan have been strained by Jordan's 1994 peace treaty with Israel, Jordan's accusations that Damascus-based groups have been infiltrating into its territory and Jordan's growing military ties with Turkey..." AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) -- Jordan has denounced accusations by Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas that it held up Arab military support for Damascus in the 1973 Middle East War. Information Minister Nasser Joudeh said televised comments by Tlas, in which he said King Hussein initially advised Saudi Arabia against sending forces across Jordan to reinforce Syrian troops, were offensive and untrue. "We do not understand why these insults (were made) against Jordan," Joudeh was quoted by the official news agency Petra as saying late on Tuesday. Joudeh said the Jordanian cabinet condemned the "dubious" statement, which he said was made at a time when Jordan was working to prevent a row between Syria and Turkey escalating into conflict. Tlas, speaking 25 years after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, said King Hussein had warned Saudi Arabia that its forces would be vulnerable to Israeli air strikes if they crossed Jordan. His comments were broadcast by Syrian television this week and repeated on Tuesday, the anniversary of the outbreak of hostilities. "Tlas was regrettably reported to make untrue statements about Jordan preventing the Saudi army from reaching the battlefield," Joudeh said. Joudeh said Jordan had fully supported the Saudi forces when they eventually crossed Jordan on their way to and from the fighting. Jordan sent forces to the Golan Heights to support Syria after it launched a joint attack with Egypt against Israel. But it did not open up a third front against the Jewish state. Earlier this year palace officials denied a British television report that King Hussein secretly flew to Israel in 1973 to warn it of the planned joint Syrian and Egyptian attack. Relations between Syria and Jordan have been strained by Jordan's 1994 peace treaty with Israel, Jordan's accusations that Damascus-based groups have been infiltrating into its territory and Jordan's growing military ties with Turkey. Jordan Times 10-7-98 Mubarak shuttles between Ankara, Damascus to defuse crisis Key Statement: "...Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi weighed in on Syria's side Tuesday, saying "any aggression against Syria will be considered as an aggression against Libya according to the Arab joint defence pact." ..." ANKARA (AP) — Shuttling between Ankara and Damascus, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak tried Tuesday to avert a feared war between Turkey and Syria over Kurdish rebels. In three hours of closed-door talks with Mubarak, Turkish President Suleyman Demirel upheld his nation's case that Syria is sheltering Turkish Kurd rebels responsible for cross-border attacks. Turkey is threatening force against Syria, which denies harbouring the rebels. “The Turkish side has explained the support extended by Syria to the terrorist activities in detail and said that this cannot go on. It has been stated that the Turkish public is outraged and pointed out to solid steps that have to be taken by Syria,” Demirel said in a statement after the talks. Independent television NTV said Mubarak left Ankara with six Turkish demands for Syria: Cease support to the rebels, expel rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, close rebel camps in Syrian-controlled Lebanon, stop rebel trips across the border, recognise Turkey's existing borders and promise to establish good, neighbourly relations. The statement from Demirel's office said the Egyptians were given a dossier — apparently, one containing intelligence reports that Turkey believes confirm Syrian backing for the rebels. “We are warning Syria for the last time to cease its support to the separatist organisation and abandon its hostile policy against Turkey,” Premier Mesut Yilmaz told parliament on Tuesday. Mubarak flew from the Turkish capital to Damascus late Tuesday and met for more than an hour with Syrian President Hafez Assad. It was their second meeting in three days. Assad's spokesman, Jubran Kourieh, did not give details, saying only that Mubarak outlined Ankara's views and listened to Syria's. Reports in Egypt said Mubarak was trying to work out a mechanism for the two sides to resolve the dispute peacefully. Mubarak told Egyptian journalists on his plane that he proposed that Turkey and Syria “meet to discuss the details of the problem” over the Kurdish rebels, Egypt's Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported. Mubarak acknowledged Demirel's concern about the rebels, but added: “I pointed out to him that our region does not accept or endure any military action or armed confrontation.” MENA also said Mubarak was trying to arrange a meeting between the Turkish and Syrian foreign ministers as well as creation of a “joint committee to start meeting to rebuild the bridges of confidence” between the neighbouring countries. Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi weighed in on Syria's side Tuesday, saying “any aggression against Syria will be considered as an aggression against Libya according to the Arab joint defence pact.” Turkey stressed in a presidential statement Tuesday that the issue was not linked to Turkish-Arab relations. The United States and Russia, along with most countries of the Middle East, urged the two countries to reach a peaceful solution. Relations between Turkey and Syria have long been troublesome. Damascus is uneasy with Ankara's plans to build dams on the Euphrates River, a key source of water for Syria, while Turkey accuses Damascus of having designs on a Turkish border province, Hatay, which has a sizeable Arab population. Syria also feels threatened by the military and diplomatic ties between Turkey and Israel. But the recent rise in tension appears part of Ankara's push to end fighting in a 14-year-old Kurdish insurgency in which 37,000 people have died. The rebels are fighting for Kurdish autonomy in southeast Turkey. Turkey has reportedly sent 10,000 troops to its border with Syria. Newspapers have suggested that its forces could stage raids on rebel camps in the Syrian-controlled Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. There have been unconfirmed reports of Turkish jets buzzing the border area in a show of force. U.S. encouraged by Mubarak's efforts WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Tuesday it was encouraged by diplomatic efforts by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to pull Syria and Turkey back from the brink of a possible conflict. “We are encouraged by the work that President Mubarak has been doing,” said U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin. He said Washington was “concerned about the risk that the situation could be spinning out of control,” which he underlined would represent “a big mistake.” Turkey is threatening to take military action against Syria for allegedly harbouring Kurdish rebels from the Kurdish Labour Party (PKK) who are fighting to secede from Ankara. Showing a degree of understanding for Ankara's position, Rubin said “the Turks have to make clear that the Syrians need to do more to rein in the PKK.” He said Washington had been in touch with the parties. The State Department on Monday rejected suggestions it was staying out of the dispute because of the need to secure support from Syria in relaunching the Middle East peace process. CHN Commentary 10-8-98 The Mid East March to Peace Madeline has concluded her two day "pre-summit" talks with Bibi and Yasser and it's a "big thumbs-up"..!!!!!! Quoting from the Jerusalem Post article below: "Albright said after her meeting with Netanyahu and Arafat at the Erez crossing yesterday that the "new spirit" and "sense of urgency" she felt has given her confidence that a deal can actually be sealed in the US." October 15 is the date set for all the parties to meet with President Clinton in Washington to hopefully get to an agreement so the final status talks can commence. And when we say "all the parties", we do mean "all"..!!!!! For lo and behold, besides Bibi and Yasser, President Clinton has invited none other than...[can we have a drum roll please]....you guessed it, His Majesty, King Hussein..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who just happens to be in the US for his chemo shots. Is that right...??? Well, who'da thought the King [of all people] would get an invite...!!!!! Remember, getting to the "final status" issues is what making the "peace" is all about. In "final status" is where they will decide on the Jerusalem issue, and sharing the Temple Mount. And it's the sharing of the Mount that will occur, as we are told in Rev. 11:1,2. The Jews will be given the right to rebuild their Temple, but they will leave out the outer court..."for it has been given to the Gentiles" [Rev.11:2]. And it's the outer court area today where the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqusa Mosque stands. And it is King Hussein [the 42nd descendent of Mohammed] who holds the "key's" to these two Muslim holy places in Jerusalem. And it will be King Hussein who decides on "the compromise" to allow the Jewish Temple to be built adjacent to the Dome and the Mosque. And it is for this "compromise", and the eventual "uprooting" of the 3 dissenting Kings, that he will be declared the Messiah of the Jews by the head Rabbi of the tribe of Levy.......and thus the Peacemaker/Antichrist...!!!!!!!!! Is this next window "the window"...???? If they conclude this Washington Summit with an agreement on the West Bank and start "final status" talks....it will look very promising. And this is the place where we say......we'll be watching...!!! Happy Birthday Sal..... Jesus is Lord. Luke 12:37 JERUSALEM POST Thursday, October 8, 1998 18 Tishri 5759 Clinton: Deal must be reached By HILLEL KUTTLER, DANNA HARMAN, and news agencies Key Statement "....Clinton also said "it is imperative" for an agreement to be wrapped up so negotiations can commence on the final-status issues that, under the Oslo Accords, are to be completed next May...." "...Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said the US had asked Jordan's King Hussein to join next week's summit meeting. Hussein is in the US undergoing medical treatment and according to the sources has not yet replied to the request...." WASHINGTON (October 8) - President Bill Clinton pledged yesterday to dedicate as much of his time as needed to achieve an accord when he hosts a summit with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat next week. Clinton told reporters he is "encouraged" by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's just-concluded visit to the region, and believes that if Netanyahu and Arafat bring the same sense of cooperation that they have recently exhibited, a deal can be reached. Clinton also said "it is imperative" for an agreement to be wrapped up so negotiations can commence on the final-status issues that, under the Oslo Accords, are to be completed next May. White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said later that the talks would be held at the Wye River Conference Center in eastern Maryland. However, he said it has not yet been determined whether Clinton would travel there for the summit or would open the discussions at a White House event and then leave the parties to their deliberations. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said the US had asked Jordan's King Hussein to join next week's summit meeting. Hussein is in the US undergoing medical treatment and according to the sources has not yet replied to the request. The summit opens on October 15 and could last more than one day. The opening of the winter Knesset session, originally scheduled for October 19, will be delayed by at least one day to allow Netanyahu - who needs to be present - to spend more time in the US. In an Oval Office photo opportunity with visiting Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, Clinton was asked how long he expects the summit to last, and jokingly replied: "I'd be happy if it were over in an hour. But I'm prepared to invest as much time as it takes." "I asked them to block out a couple of days to come back, because I think it's very important that we try to get over these last humps and get into the last stage of negotiations," Clinton said. "We need to get to final-status talks, because keep in mind, the whole thing is supposed to be wrapped up by May of next year. And the closer we get to that date without having been at least in the final-status talks - where the parties have a relaxed opportunity, without being against a timetable, to discuss these big issues of the future of the Middle East - the closer we get to that date without that happening, it's going to be more difficult." Clinton said he hopes that the two leaders will "be talking 12 hours a day" to reach a deal. Albright said after her meeting with Netanyahu and Arafat at the Erez crossing yesterday that the "new spirit" and "sense of urgency" she felt has given her confidence that a deal can actually be sealed in the US. She said that "significant and substantial progress" had been made during her two days of meetings. "With this substantial progress having now been achieved and some understandings reached, I believe we are now in a far better position to finalize all the issues at the Washington summit," she said. "Their body language has been fairly positive. On the other hand, I wasn't born yesterday, and there are still many hard problems out there that the leaders themselves are very much aware of." After the talks, Albright left for Brussels and London to grapple with the unrest in Kosovo. Arafat invited Netanyahu to a lamb and fish lunch he hosted for Albright at a Palestinian guest house after the talks. Netanyahu smoked a cigar after the meal, and later told Israelis the food Arafat served was kosher. Arafat also gave the prime minister a box of Cuban cigars as a gift. The American goal during this trip was to nail down those areas on which there is agreement, so as to leave as few potential stumbling blocks as possible to be dealt with at the summit. Three areas of agreement were pinned down: the opening of the industrial park at Karni, the setting up of a joint committee to battle incitement, and the launching of several "people-to-people" initiatives. In relation to matters still under contention - such as security assurances, the changing of the Palestinian Covenant, and the third redeployment - the issues agreed upon are minor. Several Palestinian officials went so far as to say that "nothing had really changed" during Albright's mission. Arafat's only comment to the press after the meeting was that Albright "has done a lot to push the peace process forward." At a press conference in Jerusalem, meanwhile, Netanyahu spoke in subdued tones of the progress made, making it clear that only "modest steps" had been taken and that much hard work is ahead. "Are the Palestinians ready to fulfill their commitments, to revoke the PLO charter, to fight terror, to fulfill completely their part of the agreement under the principle of reciprocity?" he asked. "If the answer is yes, there will be an agreement. Period. "I can say that we climbed the foothills, but we still have a very large mountain to scale in Washington," he said, adding, "None of the central issues has been concluded between us and the Palestinians." But a top Israeli security source said that any public agreement is important in itself, and that the sides would now find it easier to resolve other matters. US special envoy Dennis Ross and Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk are to remain in the region for a few more days to work on several of these other matters. In addition, CIA Director George Tenet, who arrived earlier this week, is working with both sides on the security working paper - the acceptance of which is of cardinal importance to the closing of a deal. The security source said understandings on a majority of the security matters would hopefully be reached before the summit, leaving only the thorny questions of the Palestinian Covenant and the third redeployment. CNN Wednesday October 7, 1998 Web posted at: 4:25 p.m. EDT (2025 GMT) Hailing 'new spirit,' U.S. to host Mideast summit Arafat, Netanyahu, Clinton to meet next week Key Statement "...The talks, to be hosted by President Bill Clinton and expected to last several days, will open on October 15 in Washington, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced Wednesday..." EREZ CROSSING, Gaza Strip (CNN) -- Following "substantial progress" toward breaking a lengthy peace process deadlock, the leaders of Israel and the Palestinians will come to the United States next week for a U.S.-mediated summit. The talks, to be hosted by President Bill Clinton and expected to last several days, will open on October 15 in Washington, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced Wednesday. She said a four-hour meeting on the Gaza-Israel border Wednesday with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made "substantial progress" on key elements of a U.S. peace package that Washington hopes to finalize at the summit. It centers on the extension of Palestinian autonomy to another 13 percent of the West Bank in tandem with tougher Palestinian action to halt attacks on Israelis by militants operating from areas under their control. Speaking with optimism of a "new spirit" between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders after months of acrimony, Albright held out hopes for opening a "new chapter" in the troubled peace process. "On the other hand, I wasn't born yesterday," she added at a news conference following Wednesday's meeting, the third time in 11 days that Arafat and Netanyahu held face-to-face talks. "There are still very many hard problems out there that the leaders, themselves, are very much aware of." The peace process, which has been at a standstill for 19 months, faces a deadline of May 1999, the expiration date of a temporary peace pact Israel and the Palestinians signed in Oslo, Norway, in 1993. The United States hopes the Washington talks will launch the two sides into long- overdue negotiations on a permanent agreement. Without that, Arafat has said he will unilaterally declare the creation of a Palestinian state, a move Israel vigorously opposes. Neither Netanyahu nor Arafat accompanied Albright as she spoke to reporters after Wednesday's talks. The Palestinian leader left for Russia, where he said he would ask President Boris Yeltsin for help in breaking the deadlock in negotiations with Netanyahu. The Israeli prime minister returned to Jerusalem, where he played down U.S. optimism. "We have climbed hills but the mountain is before us," Netanyahu said. He said progress had been achieved in three areas -- opening an industrial park on the Israel-Gaza border, setting up a committee to battle anti-Israeli incitement and forging people-to-people contacts. But significantly, Netanyahu did not repeat Albright's contention that "significant and substantial progress" had also been made on security, a key issue delaying Israel's handover of a further 13 percent of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule. "If they will fulfill their commitments there will be an agreement," he said in reference to what he called "security and reciprocity" needs. At the start of Wednesday's meeting, Albright and the two Mideast leaders had a three-way handshake as they posed for photographs. Albright, Netanyahu and Arafat sat around a square table so small their knees and elbows were almost touching. Posing for photographers, Netanyahu and Arafat shook hands across the table and then Albright placed her hand on top of theirs. At one point during the meeting, Albright walked out of the room, leaving Netanyahu and Arafat to talk alone. It was the first time in a year the two leaders spoke without mediators. The meeting began at an Israeli army base on the Gaza border and then moved to a guest house on the Palestinian side of the frontier for an unscheduled working lunch. During the lunch, which was described as relaxed, Arafat presented Netanyahu with two boxes of Havana cigars which the Israeli leader distributed at the end of the meal, quipping, "after we sign an agreement, we'll all have to go to Cuba," according to Israel radio. After the meal, Arafat accompanied Netanyahu to his car and the two men, smiling warmly, exchanged a long handshake before Netanyahu left. Jerusalem Bureau Chief Walter Rodgers, Correspondent Andrea Koppel, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. CHN "special report" 10-3-98 In Preparation for the "October Summit"..... As Madeline Albright and Dennis Ross prepare to depart for Israel on Monday in preparation for the October Summit, the anticipated diplomatic involvement of Jordan and His Majesty King Hussein once again becomes headline news. Todays edition of the Jordan Times is reporting in three different articles on the "moves" the King is making on the "chess board" of Middle East Peace in connection with the October Summit. On Thursday he called for two newly appointed Jordanian senators to meet with him at his residence in Washington. [Remember, the King has taken up residence in Washington since July 14 as he undergoes his cancer therapy treatments at the Mayo Clinic.] The two are former prime ministers of Jordan who have been outspoken critics of the King's domestic and foreign policies. It seems that they were under the mistaken understanding that the King "wasn't going to make it", and that they could take up their past "disturbing" influence in the peace process. The King assured them that his health was improving daily and he would be back on his throne shortly. They departed from his presence in the traditional "bowed" position thanking him profusely for their appointments. Also on Thursday, Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib addressed the U.N. General Assembly and emphasized Jordan's continued efforts to achieve a lasting and honorable settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Friday found the new Jordanian Prime Minister, Fayez Tarawneh, boarding a plane for Washington to meet with His Majesty for further instructions on how to proceed with the upcoming Summit. And then the most assuring news of all came from Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the leader of the Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas. Addressing a press conference in Gaza marking the first anniversary of his release from detention, Yassin thanked King Hussein for his efforts that secured his release from an Israeli jail one year ago and wished him good health. Yassin said he highly valued Jordan's continued efforts in support of the Palestinian people's cause on all fronts and at all levels. Hamas holds the key to whether or not the peace process moves forward. And of all the involved parties to the process, only the King has Yassin's ear..... Remember what they have in common,... the Sheikh is a Muslim holy man, but the King is the 42nd descendent of the Prophet Mohammed, the Holy Man among Holy men.........."the Holy of Holies"...... We will keep watching......... Jesus is Lord.. Luke 12:37 Jordan Times 10-3-98 King receives senators Obeidat, Masri "...The Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported that King Hussein assured them his health was good. Obeidat and Masri wished the King a speedy recovery and safe return home..." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein on Thursday received Senators Ahmad Obeidat and Taher Masri at his residence in Washington. The Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported that King Hussein assured them his health was good. Obeidat and Masri wished the King a speedy recovery and safe return home. The two senators voiced appreciation of their appointment as members of the Upper House of Parliament. Masri and Obeidat, both outspoken critics of domestic and foreign policies, were appointed senators on Sept. 12. The Nablus-born Masri served briefly as prime minister in 1991, when Jordan was preparing for the Middle East peace conference in Madrid. Obeidat is a former intelligence chief who served as prime minister from 1984 to 1985. He was asked to resign from the Senate four years ago after criticising the 1994 peace treaty with Israel. Obeidat was particularly vocal against the bilateral water arrangement as outlined in the peace deal. Jordan Times 10-3-98 Tarawneh leaves for U.S. for meeting with King "...Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh left for Washington early Friday to meet with His Majesty King Hussein and listen to his directives on issues of concern to Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said..." AMMAN (J.T.) — Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh left for Washington early Friday to meet with His Majesty King Hussein and listen to his directives on issues of concern to Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said. It said Tarawneh will also meet a number of U.S. officials to discuss bilateral relations and Middle East issues, particularly ways to give impetus to the peace process. The prime minister was quoted by the French news agency as saying before departure that he intends to urge the U.S. to pressure Israel into accepting a month-old American peace initiative. The U.S. is calling for Israel to carry out long overdue troop withdrawals from a further l3 per cent of the West Bank, coupled with Palestinian measures to fight anti-Israeli violence. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her Middle East mediator Dennis Ross are due in the region on Tuesday to pursue negotiations ahead of a three-way summit meeting later this month gathering President Bill Clinton, Palestine leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. The prime minister last week said during his visit to Washington he will urge the Clinton administration “in the bluntest of terms” to facilitate Jordanian trade with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, until now hindered by Israeli restrictions, despite signed agreements among all concerned parties. Referring to a deal reached last month with the Palestinians on trade exchanges between Jordan and the self-rule areas of Palestine, Tarawneh said, “we are now armed with an agreement with the Palestinians on the movement of goods, customs and border measures” adding that Jordan intends to “penetrate Israel's economic siege on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.” Jordan Times 10-3-98 Jordan calls on Israel to accept U.S. peace proposal "...Referring to Jerusalem, Khatib called on Israel to rescind all measures designed to change the character of the Holy City, adding that unilateral measures taken before the completion of the final status negotiations violate the Oslo accords..." NEW YORK (Petra) — Jordan on Thursday urged the Israeli government to respond to the U.S. peace initiative in order to end the deadlock in the Middle East peace process and demanded that Israel halt its arbitrary measures against the Palestinian people. In Jordan's address to the U.N. General Assembly, Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib emphasised Jordan's continued efforts to achieve a lasting and honourable settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Khatib said Jordan supports the American initiative to give impetus to Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. The signing of the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty demonstrates Jordan's commitment to achieving a lasting peace on all Arab-Israeli tracks, he added. Khatib said the Kingdom appreciates the efforts of the Palestinian leadership and its desire to reach an accord that would end the present deadlock. The foreign minister demanded that the Israeli government respond fully to the U.S. initiative and implement the peace accords. He stressed that Israel using security considerations as an excuse for defaulting on the peace accords prevents genuine progress and further aggravates the situation in the region. Referring to Jerusalem, Khatib called on Israel to rescind all measures designed to change the character of the Holy City, adding that unilateral measures taken before the completion of the final status negotiations violate the Oslo accords. The foreign minister demanded that Israel halt all its measures against the Palestinian people, including closures of the Palestinian territories, arbitrary arrests, demolitions of Arab homes, land confiscations and Jewish settlement building. On the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Khatib said Jordan attaches great importance to the agency's continued services to Palestinian refugees. He noted that Jordan hosts the greatest number of these refugees and provides them with basic services at a cost almost exceeding that of the agency's annual budget. Khatib demanded that UNRWA continue its services until the refugee problem has been completely solved and the refugees have been repatriated to their homeland or compensated for their loss of property. Khatib met in New York Friday his Kuwaiti counterpart Shiekh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah at the Kuwaiti mission. Later Kahtib told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the meeting took place in a brotherly atmosphere and the discussion covered issues of common concern and developments in the Middle East. Present at the meeting were Jordan's permanent ambassador to the U.N. Hassan Abu Nameh and Kuwait's envoy to the U.N. Khatib on Friday held talks with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and other foreign ministers. Jordan Times 10-3-98 King receives message of good wishes from Saudi crown prince "...In Gaza, the leader of the Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin has thanked King Hussein for his efforts that secured his release from an Israeli jail one year ago and wished him good health. Addressing a press conference in Gaza marking the first anniversary of his release from detention, Yassin said King Hussein played a pivotal role in securing his release together with several Palestinian detainees. Yassin said he highly valued Jordan's continued efforts in support of the Palestinian people's cause on all fronts and at all levels..." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein, currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in the U.S., has received a letter from Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz expressing the Saudi royal family's wishes for the King's recovery and well-being. Prince Abdullah, who visited the Monarch recently, said in the letter that his visit to King Hussein “was prompted by the true affection and appreciation which I cherish for you, because we are tied by strong bonds not liable to be affected by events or developments.” “We are confident that the future, with God's will, is bound to bring us the good news of your return to the Arab and Muslim homeland as a leader and a brother exercising his historic role along with his Arab brothers to deal with the challenges with great resolve and determination,” Prince Abdullah said in his letter. Replying to a letter he had received from the King, Prince Abdullah said he was deeply touched by the letter which reflected the true feelings among brothers. “I look forward to your visit to Saudi Arabia to be among your brothers; and please remember that King Fahd, myself and the rest of the royal family in Saudi Arabia support you in happy and difficult days alike,” the prince said. King Hussein had thanked Prince Abdullah for his gift of saffron and water from Zamzem water — well close to the holy shrines in Mecca — blessed by a prominent religious leader of Saudi Arabia. In Gaza, the leader of the Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin has thanked King Hussein for his efforts that secured his release from an Israeli jail one year ago and wished him good health. Addressing a press conference in Gaza marking the first anniversary of his release from detention, Yassin said King Hussein played a pivotal role in securing his release together with several Palestinian detainees. Yassin said he highly valued Jordan's continued efforts in support of the Palestinian people's cause on all fronts and at all levels. Israel freed Yassin, who was serving a life sentence, last October in a deal with Jordan to obtain the release of two Mossad agents caught in a bungled attempt to assassinate a senior Hamas political official in Amman. Sheikh Yassin, who wished King Hussein full recovery, stressed that the Palestinians have the full right to establish their independent state. King Hussein has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment since July l4 when he checked into Mayo Clinic. CHN Commentary 9-30-98 The Mid East March to Peace What should we liken it too..?? A director calling out to his actors that the break is over, "so everyone please take your places"... Or, the conductor taping his baton to regain his orchestra's attention.... Whatever the analogy..... HERE WE GO AGAIN......!! After months of marching in place, progress on the Israeli/Palestinian peace talks has taken a sudden step forward. With Yasser Arafat preparing to address the United Nations General Assembly on Monday afternoon, 9-28-98, presumably to announce to the world body that he intends to declare Palestinian Statehood in May, 1999, a meeting with President Clinton and Benyamin Netanyahu at the White House earlier that morning seemed to have changed his plans. The most provocative statement he could muster in addressing the member states was, "stand by our people, especially as the five-year transitional period provided for in the Palestinian-Israeli agreements will end on 4 May 1999, and our people demand of us to shoulder our responsibilities and they await the establishment of their independent state." And now, on Tuesday he returns to Washington for another meeting with Clinton, out of which comes Arafat's agreement to an Israeli proposal for a joint security arrangement over the 3% of the 13% [you do remember all that] of the land that stands between both of them and getting to the "final status issues". And of course, "final status issues" for the most part means the sharing of Jerusalem as both of their capitols, and the rebuilding of the Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. So, both Yasser and Bibi have agreed to return to Washington for a Summit with Clinton as early as Mid October to close the deal on the West bank and get to "final status". In the mean time, Dennis Ross and Madeline Albright will continue working closely with both parties in preparation for the Summit. Now, while the Peace Process is once again becoming focused upon [and very timely, if this next window is the Rapture window] we can now turn some of our attention to the other "key player" whose name isn't being mentioned at this time, and for good reason........and that is, His Majesty King Hussein. As you may or may not know, the King has been living in the United States for the past two months undergoing extensive chemotherapy treatments for his life threatening lymphoma cancer. He has just completed the third set of treatments in a six set series, and even though initially things looked very bleak for the King, lo and behold, the treatments have taken a miraculous turn for the best, and it now appears that he is going to overcome yet another major hurdle in a life filled with obstacles on his path of destiny. In other words, he'll be at the table when they cut the deal on Jerusalem, and they'll all agree then, that they couldn't have done it without him......!!!!!!!! He is THE MAN, and his time approaches in direct sequence with the Church's departure... The man of sin will be revealed after the Church is Raptured..!! What we will now "watch" in the next two weeks is how the preparation for the Washington Summit is working, and then the Summit itself. And remember, all the other "last day" prophecy's must be continuing to work themselves into position for the time when they too will be fulfilled... things like: The world financial crisis, Russia moving back to communism, the upheaval of the world weather patterns, etc......... We'll be watching........... Jesus is Lord.... Luke 12:37 JORDAN TIMES 9-29-98 Arafat backs off announcement on Palestinian state Key Statement "...He called on U.N. member states to "stand by our people, especially as the five-year transitional period provided for in the Palestinian-Israeli agreements will end on 4 May 1999, and our people demand of us to shoulder our responsibilities and they await the establishment of their independent state."..." UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Monday failed to announce at the United Nations his intention of unilaterally declaring a Palestinian state in May. Arafat, disappointed by progress with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, had been expected to make a bold declaration on statehood in his speech to the 185-nation U.N. General Assembly. It is the first time Arafat has addressed the assembly's annual two-week debate, reserved for U.N. member states. However Arafat, who appeared here fresh from talks in Washington with Netanyahu and U.S. President Bill Clinton, spoke of plans for a Palestinian state only in general terms. He declared: "I look forward to speaking to you once more when Palestine takes its natural place in the community of nations," and departed from his text to add: "as an independent state." He called on U.N. member states to "stand by our people, especially as the five-year transitional period provided for in the Palestinian-Israeli agreements will end on 4 May 1999, and our people demand of us to shoulder our responsibilities and they await the establishment of their independent state." "This independent Palestinian state must be established as an embodiment of the right of our people to self-determination." Israel and the United States had pressed Arafat not to use the international podium here to spell out his intentions to unilaterally declare statehood in May 1999. Arafat has repeatedly vowed in the past that he would announce a Palestinian state on May 4, the date when an interim self-rule period ends according to Israeli-Palestinian accords. Arafat stressed that his Palestinian National Authority still supported the peace process, saying: "There is no alternative to peace." "We have not lost hope in the peace process, and we will continue to implement our obligations in accordance with the existing agreements," he said. But he blamed Netanyahu for recent setbacks, and stressed that Israel must also live up to its obligations. Wagging his finger, Arafat said: "It is not admissible for Israel to continue dominating the Palestinian people, and everyone is aware that 100 per cent peace means 100 per cent security and 100 per cent freedom." Arafat challenged Washington to make public its initiative providing for Israel to hand over to the Palestinians 13 per cent of the West Bank. "We call upon the U.S. co-sponsor to declare its initiative and to publicly and clearly announce the responsibility of the party that is impeding peace," Arafat said. Although the U.S. proposals have been widely discussed in the media, they have not been officially made public. The Palestinian leader hailed Clinton's announcement Monday of a summit with Arafat and Netanyahu in Washington in mid-October, saying the U.S. president "graciously took an important step to save the peace process and to push it forward." He also called on other concerned parties to intensify efforts, including Russia, which is the other Middle East peace process co-sponsor, China, Japan and the European Union. He said U.N. member states should support a Franco-Egyptian initiative for an international conference "to save the peace process from the dangerous crisis it has reached." Arafat, his lips trembling as he delivered his address, was warmly applauded as he approached the General Assembly podium. He bowed and shakily raised his arm in acknowledgement of the applause. However, in line with U.N. protocol, he was not accorded the privilege of sitting in a chair beside the podium, which is reserved for heads of state as they prepare to address the assembly. Arafat addressed the debate in line with a General Assembly resolution in July which upgraded the status of Palestine delegation at the United Nations — although the Palestine mission still has only observer status here. JORDAN TIMES 9-29-98 Netanyahu claims breakthrough at White House summit with Arafat Key Statement "...This is really time to bring the closure to the discussions the parties have been having on an interim agreement so they can clear the way for the difficult discussions they have," said spokesman Michael McCurry...." ISRAELI PRIME Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said Monday that he and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat had achieved a breakthrough on a long-elusive deal to turn over more West Bank territory, and President Bill Clinton asked them to return next month to iron out a final deal. "I believe that we all agreed that we have made progress on the path to peace,'' Clinton told reporters after an hour-long session with the two leaders in the Oval Office. He described "a significant narrowing of the gaps between the two parties across a wide range of issues.'' But Secretary of State Madeleine Albright steered clear of claiming a breakthrough on any of the tough issues, including how much land Israel would relinquish and what the Palestinians would do to curb terrorism. "This process needs to be speeded up,'' Albright said. She and U.S. mediator Dennis Ross will go to the Middle East for more talks with the two leaders around Oct. 6, and about a week later Arafat and Netanyahu will return to the White House to see Clinton again. Clinton convened a hastily arranged summit at the White House Monday in a bid to get the deadlocked peace talks back on track. But U.S. administration officials held little hope for any immediate results. Arafat and Netanyahu were called together here after talks with Albright Sunday in New York signaled some progress on breaking their 18-month stalemate. The White House demanded earlier that the two leaders end their impasse when they meet with Clinton. "This is really time to bring the closure to the discussions the parties have been having on an interim agreement so they can clear the way for the difficult discussions they have," said spokesman Michael McCurry. Washington has been reluctant to intervene in the failing talks and has complained loudly about the deadlock over areas for the proposed Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank and Palestinian security guarantees to Israel. But McCurry said Clinton saw fit to step in at this juncture to push the parties toward an agreement. "As always in a Middle East peace process, a meeting with the president of the United States of America locks in certain details, generates some commitments and builds on momentum," said McCurry, who was quick to lower expectations. "I expect today only that they will make some commitments on the future course of this dialogue with the goal of building on the momentum they generated over the weekend," he said without elaborating on what progress was made. McCurry would not say whether Clinton will press Arafat to soften his words on the establishment of a new Palestine. Clinton in January proposed that Israel conduct a 13-per cent withdrawal from the West Bank in exchange for Palestinian commitments to fight anti-Israeli violence. Arafat has accepted the proposal but Netanyahu has agreed to a 10 per cent handover of territory along with an additional three per cent to be designated a "nature preserve." Both sides, however, are also still far apart on how to divide up the territory and which areas will be under total Palestinian control. Washington can thus only hope to cement those areas where agreement has been reached and detail next steps for concluding a deal on the outstanding issues. The White House is eager to announce at least some progress to demonstrate Clinton's international leadership in the face of possible impeachment hearings into his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. CNN 9-30-98 Revised Middle East peace deal gets Arafat's OK Key Statement "...Arafat told reporters in a brief address outside the White House after meeting with President Clinton that "we have agreed to it to facilitate the negotiations" toward a final settlement of the West Bank issue..." WASHINGTON (CNN) - Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat said Tuesday he is willing to accept a joint security arrangement over a small portion of the 13 percent of land in the West Bank that Israel has agreed in principle to turn over to Palestinian authorities. Under the latest plan, 3 percent of the land that Israel turns over to the Palestinians would be used as a nature preserve under the oversight of Israel and the Palestinians. Arafat told reporters in a brief address outside the White House after meeting with President Clinton that "we have agreed to it to facilitate the negotiations" toward a final settlement of the West Bank issue. He also said that the Palestinian issue was "the crux of the whole issue in the Middle East." "Peace is an Israeli need, Palestinian need, Arab need, international need," he said. Arafat's second round of talks with Clinton came the day after Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made some progress toward resolving their differences over the highly controversial issue of a further Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank. Security a key issue White House aides said Clinton stressed to Arafat the need to overcome Israeli fears that terrorists would be able to operate from some of the West Bank land once it is turned over to Palestinian authorities due to a lack of security. Israel previously said the U.S. proposal that Israel withdraw from an additional 13 percent of the West Bank posed too much of a security risk. But Israel reportedly was willing to agree to the latest version of the proposal. White House spokesman Mike McCurry said before the meeting that Israel's concerns over security were "justified." Afterward, he said that Israel's security was a "very real concern" and that Arafat understood that. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said Arafat assured Clinton that he would try to counter terrorism against Israel. "He will exert every possible effort," Erakat said. The security issue was underscored by the explosion Tuesday of a car rigged with explosives in an industrial area in the West Bank. The blast killed an activist involved with the fundamentalist Muslim organization Hamas and wounded two other Hamas supporters. Hamas has claimed responsibility for several bloody bombings in Israel. Israel has been bracing for renewed bombings at the approach of Yom Kippur, the most solemn day for observant Jews. On Tuesday, Israel sealed its borders with the West Bank and Gaza in preparation for possible attacks. Summit planned for mid-October By agreeing to the joint security arrangement over 3 percent of the land, Arafat is moving closer to a possible deal in October during a planned summit with Netanyahu. Both Arafat and Netanyahu accepted Clinton's invitation to return to the United States in mid-October to resolve details. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.S. envoy Dennis Ross will travel to Israel to finalize dates, venue and format for talks between Netanyahu and Arafat in Washington next month. Aides are hoping an interim deal can then be struck, which would pave the way for final status talks over such issues as control of Jerusalem and the possible creation of a Palestinian state. Clinton and Arafat also talked Tuesday about when the United States will "engage formally" with the Palestinian Authority, McCurry said. The two leaders "talked at some length about the arrangements that will exist when the United States can engage formally with the Palestinian Authority," McCurry said. Peace process had been deadlocked Clinton met with Arafat for about 20 minutes in a one-on-one meeting and for about for 40 minutes with Arafat and senior aides, including Albright and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger. McCurry said Clinton "is determined to see an agreement arise from this exercise." The Middle East peace process has been deadlocked for well over a year, with Israel demanding stiffer anti-terrorism measures from the Palestinians, who in turn have accused Netanyahu of dragging his feet on implementing the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians. The issue of Palestinian statehood also has been a source of friction. Arafat has threatened to declare a Palestinian state unilaterally if negotiations do not produce a state for the Palestinians by next May. However, while Arafat appealed for international support for a Palestinian state in his U.N. address on Monday, he pointedly did not repeat his vow to declare it unilaterally. Netanyahu has hinted that he would counter the declaration of a sovereign Palestinian state by annexing more Palestinian areas -- a scenario that would likely drag both sides into armed conflict. Correspondents Eileen O'Connor and Jerrold Kessel and the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New York Times September 29, 1998 U.S., Israel and Arafat Inch Toward a Pact By STEVEN ERLANGER Key Statement "...Clinton, after meeting Netanyahu and Arafat for nearly 90 minutes on Monday morning in the Oval Office, said substantial progress had been made, and the two men accepted his invitation to meet again, perhaps at Camp David, the retreat in Maryland where President Carter helped the Egyptians and Israelis come to a peace settlement in 1978...." WASHINGTON -- After more than 18 months of squabbling and stalemate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have agreed on the essentials of an Israeli withdrawal from another 13 percent of the West Bank, senior American and Israeli officials said on Monday. Such an agreement would leave the Palestinians with political control over 40 percent of the West Bank, including 98 percent of the Palestinian population. But a flurry of negotiations in New York over the weekend and a meeting here on Monday with President Clinton failed to complete the agreement. Unresolved issues include parallel Palestinian actions to insure Israeli security and to fight terrorism. Netanyahu and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright both said they hoped to finish the deal in further three-way talks to be held here in mid-October. Clinton, after meeting Netanyahu and Arafat for nearly 90 minutes on Monday morning in the Oval Office, said substantial progress had been made, and the two men accepted his invitation to meet again, perhaps at Camp David, the retreat in Maryland where President Carter helped the Egyptians and Israelis come to a peace settlement in 1978. "I believe that we all agreed that we have made progress on the path to peace," Clinton told reporters. He described "a significant narrowing of the gaps between the two parties across a wide range of issues." Israel accepted a compromise whereby nearly a quarter of the 13 percent withdrawal -- 3 percent of the West Bank -- would be labeled a nature reserve where Palestinians would not be allowed to live. The land is uninhabited desert scrubland. Clinton warned that there is a "substantial amount of work to be done until a comprehensive agreement can be reached." Albright, saying there was now "new urgency," is to travel to the Middle East next week with the American negotiator, Dennis Ross, to prepare for the final push next month. "We're going to work at this now and see if we can get it done," Clinton said, before having a separate meeting with Netanyahu. On Tuesday he will meet Arafat, who traveled after Monday's meeting to New York to deliver a speech before the General Assembly. Clinton, looking to display mastery of his foreign-policy duties in the midst of his troubles concerning his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, is clearly hoping to have a success to announce shortly before the mid-term elections in November. Netanyahu is now eager to have an interim settlement that will forestall a unilateral announcement by Arafat of an independent Palestinian state, which he has threatened to make if the original timetable runs out on May 4 of next year without a final agreement. And Arafat, his position undermined by nearly 19 months of stalemate, wants formal control over another sizable chunk of the West Bank. The idea of a nature reserve was an American one, intended to persuade Netanyahu to accept the 13 percent withdrawal level. He once said that an interim withdrawal of more than 9 percent would be a potentially mortal blow to the Israeli state, but Albright insisted that 13 percent was the minimum credible withdrawal. Netanyahu said on Monday that he and the Americans were "very very close to an agreement on the parcels of land" -- provided agreement can be reached on the specifics of Palestinian actions to dismantle terrorist cells, extradite prisoners, confiscate excess guns and stop "incitment" of citizens through anti-Israel speeches, sermons and propaganda. The timing and size of a future third redeployment remain to be resolved. That redeployment will be part of the basic questions to be resolved in final status talks that will open, at least with a formal ceremony, as soon as this interim agreement is complete. But American officials expressed confidence now that an agreement was within reach, especially given that both Netanyahu and Arafat have committed to a timetable for the October meeting. As important, they insisted, was that the two men were able to "clear some of the poisoned air between them," one official said. Albright, who has been the American figure most engaged in this often frustrating search for a deal, met Sunday night in New York with Netanyahu and Arafat, their first meeting together in nearly a year. It was then that she decided that time would be ripe for Monday's three-way meeting with Clinton and for the effort to accelerate a settlement in a set of intensive negotiations in October. In May, Ms. Albright, after meeting both men in London, issued a form of ultimatum to Netanyahu, to agree on an interim deal in time to come to Washington the next week, meet with Clinton and begin final status talks. But Netanyahu backtracked, and Clinton backed down on any notion of pressuring Israel publicly after a lobbying firestorm in Congress stoked by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Other smaller issues, put aside early on, must now also be settled, including Israeli promises to allow the Palestinians to run an airport in Gaza, to open an industrial park there and to provide safe passage for Palestinians moving between the West Bank and Gaza. But this agreement, if it happens, will only begin the much-harder task of negotiating a final peace settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians, including resolving the status of Jerusalem. Under the Hebron accords negotiated by Netanyahu in January 1997, and a side letter from then-Secretary of State Warren Christopher, the three interim withdrawals called for under the Oslo accords were to start in March 1997 and be completed within 12 months, but not later than mid-1998. But none of the interim withdrawals have so far taken place, because Israel's proposed first withdrawal was rejected by the Palestinians as too small. The current negotiation would combine the first and second withdrawals, leaving the third to be decided once final status talks begin. JERUSALEM POST Tuesday, September 29, 1998 9 Tishri 5759 Arafat calls for international conference Key Statement "...Arafat then called on Russia, China, Japan, and the European Union to support the French-Egyptian proposal for an international conference "of all states determined to save the peace process from the dangerous crisis it has reached...." By MARILYN HENRY UNITED NATIONS (September 29) - Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat stopped short of announcing plans to declare an independent Palestinian state in his speech before the UN General Assembly yesterday. Instead, he called for an international conference to save the peace process. Speaking only hours after meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and US President Bill Clinton in Washington, Arafat thanked the American president, "who graciously took an important step to save the peace process." Arafat then called on Russia, China, Japan, and the European Union to support the French-Egyptian proposal for an international conference "of all states determined to save the peace process from the dangerous crisis it has reached." Arafat blamed Netanyahu for the delay in the peace process and also appeared to assail the US, although not by name, for vetoing 21 resolutions on the Palestinian question in the Security Council since 1973. Arafat said the Palestinians represented the oldest and largest refugee question in the world and "our land still suffers under occupation and colonial settlements." He accused Israel of isolating Bethlehem and Hebron "to escalate the supplication and the siege of our people and to destroy the peace process." Arafat, who received a rousing welcome, said the Palestinians will continue to implement their obligations under the existing agreements. But he also said: "We will not give up on a need for Israeli compliance with those agreements and the implementation of their pending obligations without delays or evasiveness. We will not give up our national rights nor will we give up the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people." He called on the UN, as a source of international legitimacy, to stand by the Palestinians, "especially as the five-year transitional period provided for in the Palestinian-Israeli agreements will end on May 4, 1999, and our people demand of us to shoulder our responsibilities, and they await the establishment of their independence state." JERUSALEM POST Tuesday, September 29, 1998 9 Tishri 5759 Clinton: Significant progress in summit By HILLEL KUTTLER and DANNA HARMAN Key Statement "..."We made significant progress on the path to peace, and I think we can finish it in mid-October - and I certainly hope we do," Clinton said. "I think we're closer together on virtually every major issue that either Chairman Arafat [or] Prime Minister Netanyahu has mentioned to me than before."..." WASHINGTON (September 29) - A redeployment agreement could be finalized in mid-October, when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat return to Washington for a follow-up summit, President Bill Clinton declared yesterday. The three leaders made "significant progress" when they met at the White House yesterday, Clinton said in the Oval Office, standing between Netanyahu and Arafat. He stated that a "significant narrowing of the gaps" has occurred on "all major areas" that have held up a deal. "We made significant progress on the path to peace, and I think we can finish it in mid-October - and I certainly hope we do," Clinton said. "I think we're closer together on virtually every major issue that either Chairman Arafat [or] Prime Minister Netanyahu has mentioned to me than before." Netanyahu and Arafat will return to Washington in mid-October to try to hammer out a final pact, Clinton said. He added that the three of them had agreed that no deal would be complete until all the outstanding issues are resolved, unless Netanyahu and Arafat decide otherwise. Clinton said he is dispatching Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and special Middle East coordinator Dennis Ross to the region next week to prepare for the follow-up summit. Albright said the visit would last for a few days, beginning October 5 or 6. Following the summit, Arafat traveled to New York to address the UN, while Clinton and Netanyahu met. Arafat is scheduled to return to Washington today for his own meeting with Clinton. Albright told reporters that the three-way summit resulted from the trilateral meetings she held with Netanyahu and Arafat in New York on Sunday night. She said that a significant component of the leaders' return visit to Washington will be the inclusion of technical experts from both sides, who can discuss the outstanding issues fluently and eliminate the need for political leaders to undertake lengthy consultations. The US has not yet decided on the venue for the talks, but they would be in the Washington area, she said. While pointing generally to positive developments during the 90-minute summit, Clinton also told reporters in the White House: "I think also, to be candid, there is a substantial amount of work to be done until a comprehensive agreement can be reached. And because I am convinced that the two leaders and the people they represent want an agreement, I have asked them to come to the US in mid-October with their teams to do the intensive work necessary to see if we can conclude this." Israeli officials later highlighted Clinton's emphasis of that point, as underlining their contention that - even with virtual agreement by Jerusalem to accede to Washington's proposal for a 13 percent withdrawal from the West Bank - the deal is not done until Israel's demands are met by the Palestinians fulfilling their security commitments. The summit was Clinton's first meeting with Netanyahu and Arafat since hosting separate meetings with the two in late January, when he presented them his plan for unfreezing the negotiations. Those sessions occurred just as news of the Monica Lewinsky scandal was becoming public, and yesterday's summit was the president's first opportunity to present a foreign policy achievement - or any White House gain at all - since the Kenneth Starr report to Congress on the affair led to discussion of his possible impeachment. In a brief question-and-answer session, Clinton said it would be "an error" for him to discuss the question of a Palestinian state. But, illustrating the administration's efforts in recent days to convince Arafat to temper his public statements on the matter, Clinton twice said the issue of a Palestinian state is to be decided through direct negotiations leading to a final-status accord. Asked about his wife's expressed support for a Palestinian state last spring, Clinton smiled and said: "She did, but she's not the president and she's not trying to manage the peace process. In the end, whether there will be an agreement will depend on how badly they want it, how much we work together, how much trust can be built and sustained, what kind of process for ensuring the agreement can be agreed on by the two parties." "They have made a very unusual commitment," he added. "They have committed several days... to try to resolve the remaining gaps. I can also tell you that I have personally been very impressed by the way, the manner, and the substance of their conversations today with me. But we all said we need to continue to change the dynamics of the process to try to increase the likelihood of completion." Before leaving Washington for Tel Aviv, Netanyahu briefed the press at Andrews Air Force Base, saying that his series of meetings with Arafat over the previous 24 hours had been "level-headed" and "thoughtful." Netanyahu affirmed that, in Israel's view, a Palestinian commitment to fighting terror is the linchpin of any agreement. "I think Arafat clearly knows that we will not accept anything but complete efforts on this matter," he said. Netanyahu said that while he is willing to take a political risk in making a deal on the second redeployment, he would not be taking any security risks. He added that hopes the intensive meetings scheduled for mid-October would bear fruit and that an agreement would finally be reached. A top Israeli official said the meetings next month would take place over a number of days in an intensive fashion. There was some talk of Camp David serving as a location for the talks. The White House summit came after a surprise late-night meeting among Albright, Arafat, and Netanyahu in New York on Sunday night - the first face-to-face meeting between the Palestinian and Israeli leaders in 11 months. The meeting in Albright's suite of rooms on the 42nd floor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was initiated by the secretary of state. The talks went on for about an hour-and-a-half, in the course of which Albright reportedly walked in and out of the negotiating room, leaving the two leaders alone for periods of time. "These were very important meetings," Albright said. "I am not going to talk about the substance of the meetings, but I'm glad we had them." Neither Arafat nor Netanyahu would elaborate, but officials from both sides said no breakthroughs had been reached. But small gaps are constantly being bridged, they said, and there is hope that the series of negotiations between the sides planned for next month will be the ones to bring about the deal. CHN Commentary 9-20-98 ROSH HASHANA 5759 has begun.... Is it Rapture time..?? For those who believe and teach that this is the time of the year that the Rapture of the Church will occur, try not to be too disappointed that it doesn't happen. And it doesn't happen, not because this isn't the year; it doesn't happen because Rosh Hashana is not the appointed time for it to happen. And neither is Tabernacles, Passover, Firstfruits, Pentecost, or any other Jewish feast. The Rapture of the Church occurs in the time of the year when Jesus, Himself, ascended into heaven. Jesus ascended 40 days after He rose from the dead; and He rose from the dead on Firstfruits. The problem with those who believe otherwise is that they do not separate the covenant God made with the Jews from the covenant He made with Church. The Church has been promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it", because "it is not appointed unto wrath". The Church will be taken out of the way [2Thes 2:7]. The Jews are appointed "unto wrath", and only a remnant of them will survive the "gates of hell". The gates that are attended by the "gate keeper" ..... Antichrist. [The Jews will have their rapture and it will occur on a Feast of Trumpets, but it will be subsequent to the Rapture of the Church..] But timing for the Rapture of the Church has been made "crystal clear" by God. God is a God whose modus operandi is to cast shadows and fulfill them with like reflections, and only the "Ascension of Jesus" perfectly reflects the Rapture of the Church..... i.e. ...the Body of Christ caught up in both instances. Once the distinction is made that God has a covenant with the Jews separate from the covenant with the Church, then the truth of the timing of the Rapture of the Church will erupt in one's spirit with praise and understanding. All believers are well instructed to hold tightly to the truth of Ascension/Rapture, and let go of any other traditional belief [i.e. "we can't know the day or the hour" ,which refers to the second coming and not the Rapture] ..... for "...tradition makes void the word of God". We call ourselves "watchers" because in Luke 12:37 Jesus said, "Blessed are those whom the master, when he comes will find watching. Assuredly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and come and serve them." And as '''watchers" we watch daily for all the events that continue to unfold and point us to " that time" in "that year" when the Rapture will happen. And when it does happen, we will find ourselves sitting, and eating, and being served by Him. Jesus is Lord..... CHN Commentary 6-16-98 The Mid East March To Peace King Hussein did meet with President Clinton and Secretary Albright on Monday at the White House, but too late in the day for any news to be published in this morning's editions. But we know that the King's efforts to stall an Arab Summit have been successful, which is what had been asked of him by the President. The Jordan Times is reporting that Syria has agreed that an Arab Summit at this time would only benefit Israel, as too many doubts exist about the outcome and the agenda. Chalk up another "jewel in the crown" of His Majesty, the Peacemaker......... On the "withdrawal front", Israeli TV reported Sunday that Bibi had agreed to the 13% pullback, but is now shifting his energy to having the PLO founding charter annulled, which calls for the destruction of Israel.. Yasser says they've done it, Bibi doesn't agree, but the US agrees with Yasser. Israeli Labor Party leader Barak was in Cairo yesterday listening to Mubarak ranting that, "If the second pullback isn't carried out, a wave of terror and violence will wash over the entire region. It will be disastrous not only for the peace process with the Palestinians, but Israel's relations with Egypt and Jordan". Thus confirming the pressure that exists on the Arab nations that are at peace with Israel. In Israel, more Palestinian house demolition's are taking place much to the chagrin of the White House. This is just adding fuel to the fire, and Secretary Albright is repeating her call for a "time-out" on provocative activities which include these demolition's. The King will be listening. Another important meeting is taking place at the White House today between Clinton and the Premier of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, which will address Israel's proposal to withdraw from southern Lebanon. So, there is continued activity on all fronts to further the process. In an article on Monday in the Jerusalem Post headlined.. "Pullback decision slated for July".., Bibi made the statement he wanted to be sure "that the White House would be able to arrange a signing ceremony for the pullback agreement with PA Chairman Arafat". I think that could be handled..., but more importantly is what the Jordan's Petra news was commenting on regarding Bibi in a Sunday editorial..: "The doom and gloom which have dominated the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks until now have suddenly changed into a sense of measured optimism, if we are to believe recent reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has truly changed his attitude and is now serious about accepting Washington's peace formula. The concerned parties have experienced similar euphoria in the past only to have their hopes dashed at the last minute. Netanyahu is a master of appearing to be on the verge of yielding to logic and common sense , only to link his seemingly reconsidered position to a set of formidable conditions that are impossible to fulfill." Amen to that........ We'll keep "watching"......... Jesus is Lord.. Luke 12:37 back up articles...... JORDAN TIMES 6-16-98 Saudi FM in Damascus for talks on Arab summit Key Statement: ".... Hopes for holding a summit on the stalled peace talks faded after some Arab countries differed on its agenda and doubts about its outcome. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Sharaa said Monday the summit should be well prepared — "otherwise it will send a wrong message to the Israeli government, a matter that will stiffen its stubborn stands toward the peace process and the Arab rights in general.'' DAMASCUS (AP) — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister arrived in Damascus Monday for talks on a proposed Arab summit and the stalled Middle East peace process. Saud Al Faisal will also head his country in the two-day meetings of the Syrian-Saudi joint economic committee. “The Arab stand toward the peace process should be based on the restoration of occupied Arab lands and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,'' Prince Saud told reporters. Hopes for holding a summit on the stalled peace talks faded after some Arab countries differed on its agenda and doubts about its outcome. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Al Sharaa said Monday the summit should be well prepared — “otherwise it will send a wrong message to the Israeli government, a matter that will stiffen its stubborn stands toward the peace process and the Arab rights in general.'' Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has called for a summit to clearly blame Israel for the stalemate in the negotiations. Israel-Palestinian talks broke off in March last year when Israel began building a Jewish housing project in traditionally Arab east Jerusalem. The meeting of the Syrian-Saudi economic committee, established in 1993, will focus on means of boosting economic and trade relations and encourage investment, according to Syrian officials, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. Prince Saud is expected to meet with Syrian President Hafez Assad Tuesday. JORDAN TIMES 6-16-98 Bar Illan hints size of pullout is no longer the problem Key Statement: "....Israel TV reported Sunday that Mr. Netanyahu had agreed to a 13 per cent pullback after initially saying he could hand over only 9 per cent. Disagreement over who will annul the PLO founding charter and determine the scope of a final West Bank troop withdrawal are holding up Israeli acceptance of the U.S. peace initiative, a senior Israeli official said Monday...." Agencies Disagreement over who will annul the PLO founding charter and determine the scope of a final West Bank troop withdrawal are holding up Israeli acceptance of the U.S. peace initiative, a senior Israeli official said Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu met with key Israeli cabinet ministers for three hours Monday to discuss the U.S. plan, which calls for an Israeli troop pullback from 13 per cent of the West Bank in exchange for a Palestinian crackdown on Islamists. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has urged Mr. Netanyahu to make a decision soon, but informal U.S. deadlines have passed without U.S. action against Israel. The United States presented its plan in January, and the Palestinians have accepted it. Israel TV reported Sunday that Mr. Netanyahu had agreed to a 13 per cent pullback after initially saying he could hand over only 9 per cent. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Americans had not informed the Palestinians of any such agreement. Mr. Netanyahu's senior adviser, David Bar-Illan, would not comment Monday on the report, but suggested that the size of that withdrawal, the second of three promised by Israel, was no longer an issue. Mr. Bar-Illan said Mr. Netanyahu wants iron-clad U.S. assurances that the scope of the third pullback be determined by Israel, without U.S. involvement. “We don't want an open-ended situation about a third redeployment,” Mr. Bar-Illan told The Associated Press. “The American commitment that we be the only ones to determine its scope must be nailed down.” Israel also insists that the Palestine National Council, the Palestinians' parliament-in-exile, annul sections of the PLO founding charter, rather than the much smaller PLO Executive Committee. In the U.S. proposal, a vote by the PLO Executive Committee is considered sufficient to annul those sections. However, Mr. Bar-Illan said the PLO charter itself stipulates that it can only be changed by a two-thirds majority of the Palestine National Council. In Gaza, a senior Palestinian official said Monday that the peace process with Israel was “dead” and that the Palestinians have “other options.” “The peace process is dead,” said Ahmed Abdel Rahman, secretary-general of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's self-rule government. “The time has come for the Palestinians to rethink their position towards the process,” he told AFP. “The Palestinian people cannot accept a peace or a process which serves as a front for continued occupation and settlement of Palestinian territories,” he said. “The Palestinian people have other options.” Mr. Abdel Rahman did not elaborate, but Mr. Arafat, in an interview with the Arab weekly Al Wassat published in Cairo on Monday, refused to rule out any options, including the possible use of force, in the event the peace process fails. Asked what the Palestinian options were in the event a U.S. effort to revive the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations fails, Mr. Arafat said that “all” options were open. Pressed as to whether the use of arms was among those options, Mr. Arafat said: “Don't ask me any more. I've already said that all options were open but don't ask me for details.” In other developments Monday, four Palestinian opposition groups, including the Islamist group Hamas, said they would turn down offers by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to join his cabinet. However, Hamas and two secular PLO factions, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said they would attend consultations with Mr. Arafat on Tuesday concerning his planned cabinet reshuffle. “We are going to listen to the president and to present our views, but we are not going to join the new cabinet,” said Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zahar. A fourth group, Islamic Jihad, said it would not join the talks. Mr. Arafat apparently hoped to neutralise the opposition groups by offering them cabinet posts. Mr. Arafat is under pressure from the Palestinian Legislative Council to reshuffle his cabinet. Last month, the 88-member legislature gave Mr. Arafat two weeks to respond to complaints about corruption and inaction or face his first no-confidence motion. Mr. Arafat has sent a letter to the council asking it to postpone its no-confidence vote and give PLO leaders up to 10 days to present a new cabinet. The reshuffle is to be completed by Friday. JERUSALEM POST Tuesday, June 16, 1998 22 Sivan 5758 Mubarak: Stalled peace process risks Egypt-Israel ties Key Statement: "If the second pullback isn't carried out, a wave of terror and violence will wash over the entire region. It will be disastrous not only for the peace process with the Palestinians, but Israel's relations with Egypt and Jordan," Mubarak said after a meeting with opposition leader Ehud Barak in Cairo. By MICHAL YUDELMAN CAIRO (June 16) - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday warned of disaster in the region and a crisis in Israel's relations with Egypt and Jordan unless the second pullback is implemented and the peace process continues. "If the second pullback isn't carried out, a wave of terror and violence will wash over the entire region. It will be disastrous not only for the peace process with the Palestinians, but Israel's relations with Egypt and Jordan," Mubarak said after a meeting with opposition leader Ehud Barak in Cairo. The two leaders met privately for half an hour before being joined by Mubarak's aides and MKs Binyamin Ben- Eliezer, Ephraim Oshaya and Shalom Simhon, who accompanied Barak on his visit. Mubarak urged Israel to keep its part in the agreement and implement the second pullback, stressing it would ensure Israel's security. "If anyone thinks they can ensure Israel's security without returning the Palestinians' land, it's nonsense. It will never work," he said. Mubarak confirmed, when asked by the Israeli journalists, that he had lost faith in Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who had made him "so many promises" without keeping a single one. "I had good relations with former Israeli prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, who kept their promises, and even with Menachem Begin, who was tough, but every promise he made was kept, even when not given in writing," Mubarak said. Asked whether he could understand Netanyahu's coalition difficulties vis-a-vis passing the second pullback, Mubarak said that if Netanyahu believes in peace, he can persuade his coalition. If the Israeli public wants peace, it's more important than the coalition, he said. Barak said after the meeting that the majority of Israelis want the peace process to continue, despite the government's hard-line position, and a great many of them are concerned by the process's stalemate. Asked about the idea of holding a referendum on the pullout, Barak said it would be "a waste of time and money because we know the answer: 75 percent of Israelis want the withdrawal." Barak reiterated his request for the release of Israeli citizen Azzam Azzam, who was convicted in Egypt of espionage, stating he knew the man was not a spy. Barak asked Mubarak to let a physician examine Azzam, whose family says is too ill to be in prison. But Mubarak said he did not intend disputing Egyptian law or court procedure, and the only way Azzam could be released was if his health became too frail to remain in prison. In separate meetings with Mubarak and Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, Barak discussed the peace process, Israel's relations with Egypt and Turkey, and exchanged strategic assessments. Finally, Barak, his colleagues and the Israeli journalists held a long discussion with an Egyptian group of retired generals, newspaper editors and writers who were involved in the peace process and worried about its state. Netanyahu commented on Mubarak's statements, saying he was acting to preserve Israel's security and the state's national interests. "Nothing will divert me from the commitment to achieve security," he said. Netanyahu lashed out at Barak, implying the opposition leader had encouraged Mubarak to criticize the government. "There is always a strange coincidence when he [Barak] visits Arab leaders, and then in the press conference afterwards they launch a furious attack on the government," Netanyahu said. He advised Barak "to act with certain restraint on his visits abroad and at all times, especially when the state is in the stages of advancing in a sensitive and very important negotiation to the future of the State of Israel." The Likud sharply denounced Barak's visit to Cairo and accused him of taking the trip to invite pressures on Israel and make personal political capital at the price of damaging the negotiations. JERUSALEM POST Tuesday, June 16, 1998 22 Sivan 5758 US slams Jerusalem house demolitions Key Statement: "....Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "has called repeatedly for a time-out on provocative activities, including house demolitions," he said. Albright and President Bill Clinton were scheduled to hold meetings late yesterday with Jordan's King Hussein, who concluded a short private visit to the US. Clinton will also be meeting at the White House this morning with Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, with the agenda said to include Israel's proposal to withdraw from southern Lebanon, which Washington has endorsed in principle. By HILLEL KUTTLER and JAY BUSHINSKY JERUSALEM (June 16) - The US yesterday condemned Israel's demolition of Arab residences in Jerusalem, calling it a "provocative" action that sends the "wrong signal" at this difficult stage in the peace process. The Interior Ministry announced that it had carried out demolition orders against three illegally built houses in the Suahra section of Jerusalem yesterday morning. "At a time when we are trying to bring the parties together, these house demolitions send the wrong signal," State Department spokesman James Rubin told reporters. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "has called repeatedly for a time-out on provocative activities, including house demolitions," he said. Albright and President Bill Clinton were scheduled to hold meetings late yesterday with Jordan's King Hussein, who concluded a short private visit to the US. Clinton will also be meeting at the White House this morning with Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, with the agenda said to include Israel's proposal to withdraw from southern Lebanon, which Washington has endorsed in principle. In his daily meeting with reporters, Rubin also said the administration "would love to have to deal" with the question of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's plan to bring to a national referendum a redeployment deal with the Palestinians, because it would mean that an agreement has been reached. He also implicitly criticized Israel's holding out for a Palestinian commitment that the Palestinian National Council formally abolish the PLO Covenant. The Palestinians have "kind of done it already," he said. "I mean, they've said they disavow it. I mean, let's not be so talmudic about it and try to tear it apart," he said. Netanyahu, meanwhile, is lobbying the right-wing of his coalition in an effort to win its support for the second redeployment. He met yesterday with the Moledet leader Rehavam Ze'evi. A senior government official was unable pinpoint the outcome of the meeting, but hinted that Netanyahu is preparing the parliamentary ground, faction by faction, for the presentation of his pullback package. The official dismissed the notion that Netanyahu is working under heavy pressure from the US or any other interested party or that he is motivated by a sense of urgency that serious outbreaks of violence will occur if a deal is not closed quickly. US Ambassador Edward Walker denied that the Clinton administration is "attempting to press Israel" to act against its own security interests. In an address entitled at Ben-Gurion University's Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy, Walker said: "We know that Israel's leaders, and the Israeli people, must make their own decisions based on their own understanding of security concerns. "The president of the United States is not going to send Israeli boys into harm's way. Those who suggest that the US is attempting to dictate Israel's security are either misled or are misleading others for their own purposes." Jerusalem Post Monday, June 15, 1998 21 Sivan 5758 Pullback decision slated for July Key Statement: "....He is also said to want to make sure the Clinton administration will be able to arrange a White House signing ceremony for the pullback agreement with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat...." By JAY BUSHINSKY JERUSALEM (June 15) - Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu evidently is holding off his proposal for the next IDF redeployment in the West Bank until the middle of next month, to allow time for the Palestinian Authority to meet his preconditions. He is also said to want to make sure the Clinton administration will be able to arrange a White House signing ceremony for the pullback agreement with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. The next three or four weeks are to be devoted to clarifying the prospective pullback agreement's terms and timetable. A senior government source said the crucial decision will be taken while the Knesset is still in summer session, which is to last until the first week of August. Similarly, the consensus among cabinet ministers polled about the probable date when the redeployment decision would be taken, and its practical implications will become operational, was mid-July. Military sources estimate the IDF will require nearly three months to withdraw from its current positions and to form a new defensive line in conjunction with the impending redeployment plan. Among the major international events likely to influence Netanyahu's timing is President Bill Clinton's trip to China this week and the ongoing crises - including the Serbian onslaught in Kosovo, the aftermath of the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests, and the economic instability in the Far East - which have been taking precedence over the State Department's traditional concern about the Middle East. Netanyahu also must allow time for the PA to consider his oft-repeated terms for fulfillment of the Oslo Accords' requirements insofar as IDF deployment is concerned, especially the demand that the Palestinian National Council reconvene to abrogate the Palestinian Covenant's anti-Israel clauses. The "reciprocity" Netanyahu has said he expects in return for the evacuation of up to 15 percent of the West Bank and the concomitant handover of territory to the PA would include confiscation of unauthorized weapons in the possession of rank-and-file Palestinians, reduction of the Palestinian Police to the size specified in the Oslo Accords, extradition of persons suspected of murder, and a halt to anti-Israel incitement in the Palestinian media. If the prime minister accedes to US advice that he transfer at least 13.1 percent of the area in question without insisting on total Palestinian compliance with his demands, it is widely assumed his credibility as a negotiator in the subsequent rounds of US-brokered talks with the PA will have been undermined. Asked whether these considerations mean that the
cabinet and Knesset decisions on redeployment are still several weeks away,
a senior government official said, "The pullback may be more imminent than
you think." But he did not offer any supporting evidence for this assertion.
CHN Commentary 6-8-98 & A "Special Report" The Mideast March to Peace Sunday's meeting between King Hussein and Israeli Defense Minister Mordechai took place as planned but very little "new information" is being reported.. Both the Jerusalem Post and Jordan Times reported the meeting in their lead articles today, with the Post emphasizing the Kings "worry and concern" while the Times heralded his optimism... Yasser Arafat was invited to attend the meeting in Amman, but refused. However, US ambassador to Israel Edward Walker hosted surprise talks at his home outside of Tel Aviv on Sunday between Israeli Cabinet Secretary Danny Naveh and the Palestinians' Saeb Erakat, fueling speculation that a deal on further Israeli troop withdrawal in the West Bank is very near. But Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu denied the reports that a deal with the United States and Palestinians on further Israel withdrawals from the West Bank was imminent. Although he did say that it is a "definite possibility".. Once again proving that he must have very callused feet and strong ankles to walk the "tight rope of double talk" that has become his trade mark. However, it is surfacing that "secret talks" are taking place between the EU and Israel on granting the Palestinians a seaport and a working airport to prevent the imposition of EU sanctions on products manufactured in Jewish settlements as Israel had reacted with outrage at the European Commission's recommendation last month that products made in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights be denied tariff benefits. Newsweek says Europe is Israel's biggest market, accounting for more than one third of the Jewish state's $15.7 billion in annual exports and nearly all the exports are duty-free. In other words the Jews were "outraged" at the sound of paying tariffs on one third of 15.7 billion dollars. Oh how the "buying and the selling" [commerce] makes that "bitter pill of political compromise" easier to swallow !! As "watcher's" let us not forget that the formidable "formula for peace" that the "little horn" character will rise up with, not only incorporates "land for peace", but also "commerce for peace"......better known as..$$money$$....and the love of it..!! And the Jews and the Arabs "love their money" and all the power it brings them...and they know that peace will "fill and fatten" their money sacks !!! So, with "peace" ..the rich [kings and captains] get richer !!! This is why the Bible tells us that the individual with the "formula for peace" will be "given the crown" and rule the world. So it is no wonder that the key word today in all of the negotiations is "formula"... who has the "formula"? King Hussein has the "formula" and it will be proven out !! ...........and with all the money that will come with his "crown" he will buy armament, as the Bible says the Antichrist worships the god of munitions !! On the "Summit Scene" [i.e. Arab Summit], Mubarak has finally gotten the message [via King Hussein] that it is not in their best interest at this time if the outcome of a Summit can't be agreed upon before hand, which it can't..... as Assad continues to season the "kettle of discontent" against "Jew-loving" Arabs... All very prophetic ! So, as we continue to be obedient and "watch", we will focus on the redeployment agreement and it's leading to the opening of "final status" negotiations.. Jesus is Lord.... Luke 12:37 back up articles......... JERUSALEM POST Monday, June 8, 1998 14 Sivan 5758 Mordechai: Hussein worried about peace process By ARIEH O'SULLIVAN Key Statement: "...."I got the sense that the king is concerned about the situation," Mordechai told military reporters who accompanied him to Amman. "But just like in the Hebron agreement and other instances, the king is prepared to help."...." AMMAN (June 8) -- Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai flew to Amman yesterday to seek King Hussein's help in brokering a deal with the Palestinians on the second redeployment. "I got the sense that the king is concerned about the situation," Mordechai told military reporters who accompanied him to Amman. "But just like in the Hebron agreement and other instances, the king is prepared to help." "In the state it is now in the peace process demands support from all elements in order to achieve progress," added Mordechai. During their relatively short, one-hour meeting at Hussein's newly built Gate of Peace Palace on the western edge of Amman, Mordechai and Hussein tried to flesh out ideas on just how the Jordanian monarch could contribute. While not soliciting Hussein's pressure on Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, the Israelis are hoping the king will be able to make the Palestinians more "flexible and understanding" so they accept the Israeli plan for a second withdrawal, one government official said. Palestinian officials said Arafat had turned down a US request to attend yesterday's meeting between Hussein and Mordechai. In the meantime, Mordechai was acting more cautiously and did not have the same upbeat attitude as when he returned from Cairo last Tuesday, where he said the time for decisions was at hand. Mordechai said the agreement on a second IDF redeployment in the West Bank would be achieved "shortly," but declined to be more specific. Speaking at an impromptu news conference, Hussein called Mordechai his "very good friend," adding that "after hearing Defense Minister Mordechai I am more optimistic." Mordechai appears to be the solid force spearheading implementation of the pullback and is considered the leading moderate in Netanyahu's cabinet. Still, it is not clear just how much influence he has in the government, particularly after he failed to follow through with a threat in January to resign if the troop pullback in the West Bank did not take place within three months. The Jordanians have much respect for Mordechai, a former general, and Mordechai and Hussein have meet on a number of occasions, not all of them official or reported. Flying a CH-53 transport helicopter, the trip from Jerusalem to Amman took just 15 minutes. Mordechai was met at the helipad at the Hashamiya Palace by Jordanian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Hafez Ka'abneh and later Gen. Ali Shukry, head of the king's office. A short ride through the outskirts of Amman later and Mordechai was sharing juice in the luscious garden with Hussein, who is under Syrian and Saudi pressure to convene an Arab summit which would no doubt be critical of ties with Israel. Despite the warm reception, news of Mordechai's visit did not appear in any of the Jordanian press, and only a small group of Israeli reporters accompanying Mordechai and one Jordanian working for the state-run TV and news agency Petra were allowed at the news conference. Israeli diplomats in Amman said that Mordechai was also likely to meet with Arafat. Mordechai's aides did not rule out the possibility but said that no such meeting had been scheduled for any time soon. The visit to Amman was also used to enhance security relations between the two nations. Mordechai's most senior adviser, David Ivry, discussed security matters with Ka'abneh. There have been reports that Jordan was examining the possibility of joining the Turkish-Israeli alliance. "It isn't so much a question of an alliance," Hussein said. "I don't think it could be described as such. We have normal relations with Israel, peaceful relations with Israel, and we have extremely close relations with Turkey, so it is natural that we talk and meet and our people meet to enhance the cooperation that exists." JORDAN TIMES 6-8-98 King optimistic about peace process after meeting Israel's defence minister KEY STATEMENT:"....The Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted King Hussein as telling journalists after the meeting that he was optimistic about the peace process following what he heard from the Israeli minister, stressing that "Jordanian-Israeli relations are marked with mutual confidence which will continue in the future."...." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein on Sunday met Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai for talks on the deadlocked peace process and said afterwards that he was deeply satisfied with what he heard from the Israeli minister. The Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted King Hussein as telling journalists after the meeting that he was optimistic about the peace process following what he heard from the Israeli minister, stressing that “Jordanian-Israeli relations are marked with mutual confidence which will continue in the future.” King Hussein told reporters that discussion with Mr. Mordechai during his short visit covered “issues of common concern to Jordan and Israel pertaining to the future generations and the peace process.” Petra quoted the King as expressing hope that all the concerned parties will act in a manner that will ensure progress in the peace process so that the “dreams may come true and become a reality with the establishment of a just, durable and comprehensive peace in the region.” With reference to the U.S. proposal for further Israeli redeployment from the West Bank, King Hussein said: “I believe the U.S. proposal is very important and came as a result of a lengthy study by the U. S. which is a partner in the peace making process, a role similar to that which the U.S. had played before in the peace talks between Israel and Egypt.” King Hussein expressed hope that the U.S. and Jordan will pursue their determined efforts and that all other parties would make real efforts to transcend the present critical stage and adopt positive stand with regard to the American proposal in order to attain the aspired goals. In reply to a question about his call for strengthening the camp of moderation in the face of extremism in the region, King Hussein said: “There are moderates and extremists on both sides, and in the whole region.” But he expressed hope that the peace process will continue to move in the right direction. The King said that the peace camp among the descendants of Abraham and the moderates among them should join forces in their common struggle to achieve the aspired peace. Mr. Mordechai thanked King Hussein for allowing him the opportunity to discuss the peace process with him and to exchange views on how to give momentum to the peace process on the Palestinian-Israeli track. He said that there are certain ideas and initiatives which should be encouraged by the Palestinians and the Israelis. Mr Mordechai's visit to Amman follows a trip last week to Cairo where he discussed the peace process with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Aides of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu have been expressing optimism in recent days that a breakthrough in the peace process is in sight after months of deadlock. The U.S. proposals would revolve around Israel transferring an additional 13 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinians. Attending the meeting which was held at Bab Al Salam Palace were Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mira' Kaabneh, and Israel's Ambassador to Jordan Oded Oran. JORDAN TIMES 6-8-98 Netanyahu: Pullback accord not imminent Key Statement: "I cannot say that we are the verge of an agreement. There is still no agreement on the [West Bank] redeployment," Mr. Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting according to an official statement. "We are making a major effort to reach an agreement on this matter and there is a good chance we will succeed," he said. TEL AVIV (Agencies) — Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu denied on Sunday reports that a deal with the United States and Palestinians on further Israel withdrawals from the West Bank was imminent. “I cannot say that we are the verge of an agreement. There is still no agreement on the [West Bank] redeployment,” Mr. Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting according to an official statement. His remarks contrasted with optimistic comments over the weekend by Netanyahu spokesmen who said an accord was finally near in negotiations on a U.S.-drafted peace package with the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu said contacts with U.S. mediators were continuing on the issue of the second of two further withdrawals from the West Bank which Israel is required to carry out under interim peace accords. “We are making a major effort to reach an agreement on this matter and there is a good chance we will succeed,” he said. Israel Radio said Mr. Netanyahu also told his ministers that discussions with the Palestinians via the U.S. mediators were in “a delicate phase” and that a full cabinet discussion could thus not yet be held. The U.S. plan revolves around Israel transferring an additional 13 per cent of the West Bank to self-rule over three months in tandem with specific Palestinian action to halt militant violence against Israel. Mr. Netanyahu has resisted the proposals for nearly nine months, saying a 13 per cent pullback at this stage of the peace process would jeopardise Israel's security and would not be accepted by nationalist hard-liners in his fractious and fragile coalition government. But Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Silvan Shalom said after Sunday's cabinet meeting that a majority of ministers “agree on carrying out a further military redeployment” from the West Bank. “The issue now is whether or not there will be another redeployment later and what its scope will be,” he said. Under an interim peace accord signed with the Palestinians in January 1998, Israel was required by mid-1998 to carry out three separate withdrawals from parts of the West Bank still under its control. Under the U.S. proposal the first two pullbacks would be combined into the 13 per cent withdrawal and the third would be the subject of new negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Mr. Netanyahu is reportedly making acceptance of the 13 per cent figure conditional on the Palestinians agreeing that the third pullback will either be symbolic in scope — around two per cent of the West Bank — or be put off until the two sides conclude a final peace settlement setting definitive borders for the Palestinian entity. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat insisted on Saturday that Israel must carry out all three promised withdrawals and that they must be significant. Last week U.S. officials said the two sides had only a few more days to reach agreement on Washington's proposals or the United States would consider ending its mediation effort. Mr. Arafat has accepted the U.S. package even though it falls far short of Palestinian demands for the first and second redeployments. Israeli nationalists, including key members of Mr. Netanyahu's government, have vowed to topple him if he agrees to even one 13 per cent pullback from the West Bank. Experts say such a withdrawal would isolate several Jewish settlements in areas under Palestinian civilian control and virtually ensure their eventual disappearance. In a sign of growing right-wing concern, posters appeared on Jerusalem walls Sunday showing Mr. Netanyahu wearing a Palestinian head-dress with the caption “liar.” Police said the posters — 10 across one street-level billboard and one poster at another site — may have been placed by the outlawed Israeli anti-Arab Kach movement. Mr. Netanyahu's Likud Party issued a statement blaming a handful of “crazy extremists in the margins of society” for the posters. A similar overnight campaign was conducted six months ago. The black-and-white photo-composition showed Mr. Netanyahu with a red Arab Keffiyeh, or scarf, printed on his head and “The liar” written in black across the top. JORDAN TIMES 6-8-98 Israel, EU conducting secret talks — report Key Statement: "....The magazine, without citing a source, said Israel had agreed to give Palestinians a seaport and a working airport to prevent the imposition of EU sanctions on products manufactured in Jewish settlements...." NEW YORK (AFP) — Israel and the European Union are holding secret talks with Israel making substantial concessions to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Newsweek International reports in its latest edition. The magazine, without citing a source, said Israel had agreed to give Palestinians a seaport and a working airport to prevent the imposition of EU sanctions on products manufactured in Jewish settlements. Israel has reacted with outrage at the European Commission's recommendation last month that products made in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights be denied tariff benefits. Newsweek says Europe is Israel's biggest market, accounting for more than one third of the Jewish state's $15.7 billion in annual exports. Nearly all the exports are duty-free. JORDAN TIMES 6-8-98 Arab summit should not be held without prior agreement on aims, Mubarak says Key Statement: "....Syria threw plans for a summit into doubt on Wednesday when it called for a prior understanding that those countries with relations with Israel must change their policies....." "....The call put Syria on a collision course with Jordan and Saudi Arabia a day after Amman and Riyadh agreed on the need to respect agreements signed with Israel during any summit to sanction Israel over the deadlocked peace process...." "....Syria has long criticised Jordan and the Palestinians for signing "separate" peace agreements with Israel and not waiting for a comprehensive peace involving all the Jewish state's Arab neighbours...." CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak insisted Sunday that an Arab summit to frame a united Arab response to the continuing deadlock in the peace process should not be called without prior agreement on the outcome desired. “Any Arab summit has to be well-prepared — everyone has to agree on the agenda and the results we expect from such a summit,” Mr. Mubarak told reporters. “Once we are in agreement, it will be possible to hold a summit... but we must not appear disunited to the world or our causes will lose all credibility,” he said. There have been mounting calls in the Arab World in recent weeks for a summit to frame a united response to the 15-month-old deadlock in the peace process. Mr. Mubarak dismissed as “baseless” reports in the Arabic press suggesting that Washington had been putting pressure on its Arab allies to prevent the holding of a summit. “Efforts have been made to hold this summit,” he insisted. Syria threw plans for a summit into doubt on Wednesday when it called for a prior understanding that those countries with relations with Israel must change their policies. The call put Syria on a collision course with Jordan and Saudi Arabia a day after Amman and Riyadh agreed on the need to respect agreements signed with Israel during any summit to sanction Israel over the deadlocked peace process. Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam spoke openly Tuesday of “disagreement” with Jordan over the policy to adopt towards the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu in the light of his continuing rejection of compromise U.S. proposals to relaunch the peace process. Syria has long criticised Jordan and the Palestinians for signing “separate” peace agreements with Israel and not waiting for a comprehensive peace involving all the Jewish state's Arab neighbours. Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979, the first Arab country to do so. CHN Commentary 6-6-98 The Mideast March To Peace In our untimely absence [due to computer failure], the anxiously awaited Washington Summit slated for the end of May and intended to open "final status" negotiations obviously didn't occur. And just as obvious is the fact that the "Church" has not been Raptured...[although our silence had some wondering].....and the "window of opportunity" for the Rapture to occur this year has now closed.. Truthfully....we are disappointed and saddened that we must wait for the next window to open...but we are encouraged to know that God is in control, and that all things work together for good for those who love God... ......... and that blessed are whose who the Lord finds "watching"....... So, where are we as we begin this new time period of "watching" for Jesus' return..?? The struggle to finalize the elusive "13%" withdrawal of the IDF seems to be within reach. Most sources are reporting that the pullback is near. And finally the "American Plan" has been put on paper and leaked to the press...[see below]. You will recall that the intention of settling this final withdrawal is to open "final status" negotiations. So, when these negotiations do begin we will "then" find ourselves in the time frame of "watching" that pressure cooker develop into the formula for peace brought forward by Daniel's "little horn"..... It would seem that this next window will surely be "the" window that the Church be altered to "watch"....... In other matters, the Arabs are trying to convene a summit but can't agree on the agenda, or who should be invited. Syria has really started to stir the pot of belligerence toward Jordan by declaring that a summit is only needed to change the relationship between "some" Arab brothers and the Jews.. King Hussein remains committed to the peace and is under an increasing amount of Arab pressure from more then just Syria, and is meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Mordechai in Amman Sunday to try and further the peace... We will watch the pressure build on him in this next window which will culminate in his prophetic fulfillment of the "little horn character" that takes vengeance on his dissenting Arab brothers [the "uprooting"] and his "partners"... the Jews. In the meantime the Red Cross/Red Crescent offered some encouragement by awarding him another "trophy" in appreciation of his humanitarian efforts and his continued support to ensure human rights and dignity for all people....[whata' guy] Yasser Arafat seems to have everyone convinced that May, 1999 he will declare Statehood for Palestine and is finding that most of the world agrees...and now even a majority of Israel agrees..[that does have a positive ring for this next window] So, all things considered, Spring, 1999 now becomes our focus as we continue to know and believe that ... "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men". [...and we close with our theme song playing in the background..... "He's got the whole world in His hands, He's got the whole wide world in His hands........."] Jesus is Lord........ Luke 12:37 Jerusalem Post Friday, June 5, 1998 11 Sivan 5758 PM aide hints: Pullback deal near By JAY BUSHINSKY Key Statement: "....At the same time, one official said that "constructive talks are going on with both sides in a variety of venues - meetings, telephone calls" in a bid to conclude a deal leading to the start of final-status negotiations...." JERUSALEM (June 5) -- Shai Bazak, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's media adviser, yesterday signaled that an agreement is near among Israel, the US, and the Palestinian Authority on the IDF's next withdrawal. He announced that the terms of such a deal will not be put to a referendum. Bazak said Netanyahu is not considering such a move, although the consensus in the cabinet is that the prospective pullout would be approved by at least 60 percent of the voters. The referendum idea was raised by MK Michael Kleiner (Gesher), who heads the Land of Israel Front in the Knesset. Kleiner said the front would organize a public petition for a plebiscite. He said the government should either hold a referendum or call early elections, but promise not to implement the pullback until after the country had gone to the polls. Kleiner noted that the government supported the idea of a plebiscite before any concessions on the Golan Heights, which would immediately affect far fewer people. Coalition whip Meir Sheetrit rejected Kleiner's idea, calling it a "trick" aimed at postponing progress in the peace process. He said the redeployment would pass in the Knesset by a large majority, because Labor would not oppose it even if it were turned into a motion of no-confidence. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai is to go to Jordan on Sunday for a meeting with King Hussein. He is expected to discuss the peace process and the redeployment. He will also raise the matter of terror and seek to enhance cooperation between security bodies in both countries. Details of the visit were finalized late last night in coordination with Netanyahu. The meeting is expected to last a few hours. For his part, Netanyahu insisted he is doing everything he can to expedite the tripartite deal. "There has been some progress in the direction of an agreement that will be good for all sides," he said. "When I am convinced that we have a good arrangement of the kind I have been working to achieve... I will not hesitate to bring it to the government and the Knesset." Other government officials discounted the various versions of the agreement published in the media, contending that they were "outdated" and "inaccurate." Netanyahu said the published draft is "simply not up to date." Under the reported plan, the withdrawal would be in three stages over 12 weeks. A senior aide said intensive negotiations were under way between the parties to work out the defects that still remain from the standpoint of Israel's requirements and objectives. But a source close to the key ministers who take part in the inner cabinet's top-secret deliberations contend that "they do not have the foggiest idea where things actually stand." These cabinet members have been receiving most of their information from the media, he went on, noting that this input not only has been generally unreliable and "wide of the mark," but also "misleading and tendentious." Margot Dudkevtich and Mohammed Najib add: On his return to Gaza last night, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat told reporters he is still waiting for the initial US proposal to be presented. Regarding the second redeployment, Arafat said the US had promised it would take place by the middle of this month, but did not divulge the scope. PA officials hesitated to comment on the meeting between Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Ahmed Qurei and Arafat's deputy Mahmoud Abbas with US envoy Dennis Ross in London. Confirmation of the meeting was broadcast on the Voice of Palestine Radio yesterday, and Palestinian sources said the two would inform Arafat about their discussions. Hillel Kuttler adds from Washington: Clinton administration officials refused to confirm that Ross was meeting with PA officials in London. At the same time, one official said that "constructive talks are going on with both sides in a variety of venues - meetings, telephone calls" in a bid to conclude a deal leading to the start of final-status negotiations. "We're trying to get this done," the official said. "We hope to wrap this up sooner rather than later." Asked about yesterday's reports in Israeli newspapers detailing the American proposal, the official said the US has decided that "the best way is to say the least" and that "if the Israelis are saying more, you need to ask them about that." The official also would not go beyond US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's and Ambassador to Israel Edward Walker's statements this week that Washington is on the verge of publicly expressing its views about the stalemate. The official refused to discuss what period of time the US has in mind. "In a certain way, we've been there before. We've been very careful about how we characterize this as a time frame." Jerusalem Post Friday, June 5, 1998 11 Sivan 5758 EDITORIAL: The American plan Key Statement: "....The key to creating this new atmosphere is clearing the decks of the debris left from the interim agreement, allowing all energies to be focused on final-status talks. Two important adjustments should be made in the American plan to facilitate this transition: settling on the size of the third redeployment and democratizing the amending of the Palestinian Covenant...." (June 5) -- The cabinet may not have seen it yet, but the full, if still fluid, text of the American plan is now in newspapers for all to see. Some of the details may change, but the broad structure will not. The main things missing from the plan are an agreed upon figure for the third redeployment and the unequivocal amendment of the Palestinian Covenant. Structurally, the reported plan looks made-in-Israel. Israeli withdrawals are linked in a "phased paralleled approach" to implementation of Palestinian commitments over 12 weeks. At the same time, both Israel and the Palestinians will reportedly commit to the US not to take certain "unilateral" actions, including on Israel's part, "no significant expansion" of existing settlements. Commenting on the plan as reported, arch-critic Ze'ev Begin said, "This is not territories for peace or territories for security - it is territories for chatter." A cursory reading of the plan does seem to give credence to his criticism, because it is long on committees and short on dates and commitments. Since almost all of the commitments in this new plan are recycled from the Oslo 2 and Hebron accords, it is fair to ask what reason there is to believe that this time will be different. A closer examination of the plan, however, reveals a difference in style compared to that of the Hebron Accord of 18 months ago, and a greater resemblance to the original Oslo agreements. The "Note for the Record" attached to the Hebron Accord contained a number of impressive-sounding commitments that were impressive both for their sweep and specificity: The Palestinians were to "combat systematically and effectively terrorist organizations and infrastructure" and "[prevent] incitement and hostile propaganda," for example. But the Hebron Accord did not describe any practical mechanisms for implementing these commitments. By contrast, the draft American plan seems to pick up where the Hebron Accord left off. Rather that repeating sweeping commitments, it goes straight to the heart of implementation. The Palestinians, for example, are to report to a trilateral security committee ("reactivated" from December) "on the results of interrogations of those in custody." In other words, the Palestinians must share intelligence, and what they must share is defined. It is too soon to dismiss such bureaucratic-sounding mechanisms as useless "chatter." The mechanisms that are taking shape in the American plan are what effective security cooperation is made of. It should not have taken until the waning days of the five-year interim period to obtain such cooperation, but better late than never. Even now, it will take a spirit of shared interests, goodwill, and trust to make these mechanisms work. Such a new, more cooperative, atmosphere must be created first and foremost on the ground, between the security services on each side. But the soldiers cannot do it alone - there must also be a sense of movement at the political level above them. The key to creating this new atmosphere is clearing the decks of the debris left from the interim agreement, allowing all energies to be focused on final-status talks. Two important adjustments should be made in the American plan to facilitate this transition: settling on the size of the third redeployment and democratizing the amending of the Palestinian Covenant. Though Oslo and the famous Warren Christopher letter both give Israel the right to determine the scope of the third redeployment, the reality is that if it is not agreed upon now, it will hang over the final-status talks like a sword of Damocles. Just as Netanyahu is now balking at the American figure of 13 percent for the first two redeployments, Arafat is now balking at a 2 percent figure for the third withdrawal. The US must now be as tough with Arafat as it has been with Netanyahu. By settling on the package now that blurs the boundaries between the three withdrawals but nails down a total figure, both leaders will be able to declare victory among their constituencies and move on to the no less difficult tasks. The other matter, that of the Palestinian Covenant, is less about removing a potential threat to final-status talks and more about making an investment in their success. The reported American plan stipulates that the PLO executive committee "endorse Arafat's letter to President Clinton" concerning the covenant. This is insufficient because the covenant stipulates (Article 33) that only a broader body, the Palestinian National Council, has the power to make amendments. And regardless of the previous government's position, PLO officials and documents state that the covenant has been "frozen," not amended or annulled. As problematic as it may be, the full PNC must meet to explicitly amend the covenant to remove the many calls for Israel's destruction. This is not a legalistic exercise. In at least two interviews this year, Arafat has explained his support of Oslo with references to the 1974 "phased plan" and to temporary peace agreements made by Mohammed and Salah a-Din. Both references clearly imply that the goal of a Palestinian state would be to trigger a war against Israel. The way to begin ending such duplicity is for Arafat to persuade the PNC to permanently recognize Israel's right to exist. Jerusalem Post Friday, June 5, 1998 11 Sivan 5758 The inevitable Palestinian state By NAOMI CHAZAN Key Statement: "....The salience of the redeployment debate, however, has obscured a far more important eventuality: the likelihood that the Palestinians will declare a state on May 4, 1999. The time has come to recognize that Palestinian statehood is not in Israeli hands; it is the culmination of dynamic processes that can be shaped, but not halted. The second and most critical issue is, therefore, whether the Palestinian state will be declared unilaterally or emerge as the outcome of negotiations...." (June 5) -- There are two main issues on the Israeli-Palestinian peace agenda. The first, and most immediate, has attracted overwhelming attention: the extent of the further redeployments and their implementation. The continuing, and agonizingly trying, debate over Israeli acquiescence to the US proposal of a 13 percent redeployment cannot be prolonged much longer. There is reason to assume that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will bring a double-digit decision to the cabinet and the Knesset for approval within the next few weeks. The reasons for such a step are not difficult to discern. Substantively, a further redeployment fits in well with Netanyahu's intention of maintaining Israeli sovereignty over the entire Land of Israel, while placing the greatest number of Palestinians under ostensible self-rule. Politically, a move of this sort serves Netanyahu's own reelection objectives. Under the direct election system, a candidate must appear conciliatory. A purported redeployment serves the twin aims of granting credibility to Netanyahu's campaign slogan of promoting peace at minimal territorial cost and nurturing a seemingly centrist image. Diplomatically, announcement of a meaningful redeployment will relieve some of the mounting pressure on Israel. To satisfy the more moderate elements within his coalition and within Israeli society at large, and to assuage the rising dissatisfaction in the US and Europe, Netanyahu has no choice but to accede to a double-digit redeployment and to settle outstanding issues, such as safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza, the port in Gaza, and the airport in Dahaniya. And finally, protestations aside, Netanyahu knows that such a move will be approved. He is justifiably banking on the support of the opposition to balance the far-right elements in his coalition. Given the absence of any alternative candidate on the Right, he is probably correct in assuming that he can weather the inevitable political fallout. If this is indeed Netanyahu's plan or, as some pundits expect, if the redeployment issue remains on the table for some time, many of the trappings of the interim agreement will eventually be put in place. In either event, implementation is likely to be dragged out for as long as possible. Netanyahu would like nothing better than for this to be the last set of moves within the Oslo framework. If he can carry out these small steps with enough fanfare to give the impression of progress, he will then claim to be flexible, while actually closing the door on the permanent-settlement negotiations. The salience of the redeployment debate, however, has obscured a far more important eventuality: the likelihood that the Palestinians will declare a state on May 4, 1999. The time has come to recognize that Palestinian statehood is not in Israeli hands; it is the culmination of dynamic processes that can be shaped, but not halted. The second and most critical issue is, therefore, whether the Palestinian state will be declared unilaterally or emerge as the outcome of negotiations. By ignoring this vital question and its far-reaching implications, Netanyahu's approach is both misleading and potentially irresponsible. The Israeli public must stop allowing him to divert attention away from this, the most important of issues. There is no doubt that, given the choices available, a negotiated Palestinian state is in Israel's interest. First, without productive negotiations, the vital issues of borders and security arrangements will remain unresolved, since a unilaterally-declared state will almost by definition have ambiguous boundaries. All of the hairsplitting over 1 percent here or 2 percent there will be completely irrelevant if Israel loses the tremendous advantage written into the Oslo Accords: the opportunity to define and assure its security interests. The security problems transcend the obvious disadvantages of non-negotiation. It is probable that a right-wing Israeli coalition will take concrete steps against a unilaterally-declared Palestinian state. Although reconquest of Gaza and the West Bank is unlikely, annexation of some territories, complete closure, and economic strangulation are not inconceivable. Given the fact that Palestinian security and police forces - who undergo regular training and are equipped with light weapons - now number 40,000, a one-sided Palestinian declaration of independence will inevitably be accompanied by an escalation of violence. A unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state will also have broad regional implications. It cannot but imperil Israel's agreements with Egypt and Jordan and further dim the prospects for a comprehensive regional peace. In the long-term, the possibility of protecting Israel from threats of non-conventional assaults will appear even more remote in an already jittery climate. Second, a non-negotiated Palestinian state will render Israel a veritable outcast in the international arena. A unilateral declaration of Palestinian independence will receive widespread international support, and Palestine will be recognized by the vast majority of the global community. In an era of globalization, the notion of total isolation is nothing short of a nightmare, one that Israel can neither afford nor withstand. Third, and most importantly, the purpose of the Oslo process is to lay the foundation for a different type of relationship between Israel and its neighbors. A negotiated Palestinian state not only sets the stage for such a historic reconciliation, but also establishes agreed-upon ground rules for future interaction. And finally, the impact of a non-negotiated Palestinian state on the fragile fabric of Israeli society may be disastrous, causing even greater divisions in an already deeply divided country. Thus, by evading the issue of a Palestinian state, Israel will be sacrificing all of its most fundamental interests. The urgency of confronting these matters cannot be overstated. Although Netanyahu seems to have convinced some of the public that his current strategy is reasoned and forward-looking, the reality is that his tactics purposefully cloud the truly essential issues the country faces in the months ahead. Whether the prime minister likes it or not, there will be a Palestinian state within a year. The current course of action will only aggravate existing tensions, encourage further militancy in the region, and destroy all possibilities for long-term peace and reconciliation. The time has come to stop playing Netanyahu's lulling games and focus on an immediate renewal of meaningful, honest negotiations with our Palestinian neighbors. Every ounce of energy - not only by the peace camp, but by all concerned Israelis - must be devoted to the task of achieving a just accord on Palestinian statehood. The inevitable alternative to negotiations now is perpetual conflict down the road. Israel cannot allow a short-sighted, self-serving politician to take a risk of this magnitude with its present and its future. The framework for negotiations has been in place for five years. With the proper leadership, a good grip on reality, and immediate action, the dim future toward which Netanyahu is brazenly leading Israel can be avoided. CNN June 4, 1998 Web posted at: 11:42 a.m. EDT (1542 GMT) U.S. peace plan for Mideast published JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli newspapers have published the U.S. proposal for an Israeli troop withdrawal -- a plan that would leave 40 percent of the West Bank under Palestinian control and restrict Jewish settlement expansion. Details of the U.S. initiative have been reported previously, but Thursday was the first time a complete version was published. Palestinian negotiator Hassan Asfour confirmed the points of the initiative, which were printed in Israel's three major dailies -- Haaretz, Maariv and Yediot Ahronot. A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said parts of the draft as reported were on target, but some details are apparently not up to date. Israeli decision due soon U.S. officials expect a decision from Israel within days on the plan, and there were indications that Netanyahu has softened his stance. The Yediot Ahronot daily said Netanyahu had embraced most of the proposals, including a 13 percent troop pullback over 12 weeks, and that the key sticking point now was the scope of an additional withdrawal. Netanyahu wants to limit that pullback to 2 percent, but the Palestinians said they expected a more generous offer. "We will never agree to a 2 percent redeployment," said Asfour who added that under the American plan, the scope of the next pullback was to be negotiated at a later time. U.S. envoy Dennis Ross was meeting with senior Palestinian negotiators in London to discuss the U.S. plan. What Israel would do Under the plan, as published on Thursday: •Israel would withdraw troops in three stages over 12 weeks. The Palestinians currently have full control over 3 percent of the West Bank and partial control over another 24 percent. •At the end of the pullback, Palestinians would have full control over 18.2 percent and partial control over 22 percent, for a total of 40 percent -- a possible springboard for statehood. •Talks on a permanent peace accord would begin immediately with the first troop pullback. Israel also would also give assurances on contested land issues by: •Promising not to expand Jewish settlements in a significant way. •Refraining from demolishing 1,800 Palestinian homes. •Restricting land confiscations. What the Palestinians would do Israel is demanding that Palestinians revoke parts of their PLO founding charter which call for Israel's destruction. As a concession to the Palestinians, the U.S. proposal calls for the revocation to be carried out by the 18-member PLO Executive Committee rather than the much larger Palestine National Council. In return: •Palestinians would promise not to question Israeli credentials at the United Nations. •Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would outlaw incitement against Israel and systematically confiscate illegal weapons. Jordan Times 6-5-98 Syria raises doubts about Arab summit; U.S. deadline for Israel ends in 'days not weeks' Agencies Key Statement: "...."We do not so much need a new summit as we do a clear policy making those [countries] which have made mistakes aware of them," the official Syrian news agency, Sanaa, said in a commentary. "This clear position must make those who have been swayed by illusions realize that Netanyahu will only strike out at those who wagered on the possibility of his changing his policies by making concessions or by meeting him in public or in secret," Sanaa said...." THE UNITED States will decide within days whether to give up its effort to mediate a revival of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, the U.S. ambassador to Israel said Wednesday. "What's going to happen is that there will be a decision made on whether to continue or not, whether there's going to be an agreement or not, whether our efforts are going to bear fruit or not," said U.S. Ambassador Edward Walker. Responding to reports that Washington had set a weekend deadline for Israel to accept compromise peace proposals the United States has been promoting for nearly eight months, Mr. Walker said "no definite date" had been set. "There is this very short time frame, that's all I can say — its a matter of days rather than weeks, but exactly and precisely what day, what hour and so on I have no idea, it depends on how the progress goes," he said. Mr. Walker was speaking after meeting in Tel Aviv with opposition Labour Party leader Ehud Barak to discuss the U.S. effort to break the 15-month deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The U.S. proposals, widely leaked by Israelis and Palestinians, would require Israel to transfer an additional 13-15 per cent of the West Bank to self-rule in tandem with specific Palestinian actions against terrorism. Israelis and Palestinians would at the same time enter into long-delayed negotiations on a permanent peace agreement setting the final borders and status of the Palestinian entity. The Palestinians have accepted the deal but Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has rejected the terms because of the scope of the interim West Bank pullbacks required. Mr. Netanyahu says a withdrawal of the breadth suggested by Washington would put vital Israeli interests in danger prior to a final peace accord and would never be accepted by nationalist hard-liners in his fragile coalition government. But the few moderates in government, led by Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, have also been escalating pressure on Mr. Netanyahu to reach a decision on the key land issue. "It is time to take a decision on the redeployment," Mr. Mordechai told a session of parliament Wednesday. "I think we need to advance the peace process while at the same time demanding that our Palestinian partners honour their part of the agreements," he said, referring to the need to dismantle armed anti-Israel groups. In Damascus, Syria raised doubts Wednesday about convening an Arab summit, saying it was more important that countries with relations with Israel change their policies. "We do not so much need a new summit as we do a clear policy making those [countries] which have made mistakes aware of them," the official Syrian news agency, Sanaa, said in a commentary. "This clear position must make those who have been swayed by illusions realize that Netanyahu will only strike out at those who wagered on the possibility of his changing his policies by making concessions or by meeting him in public or in secret," Sanaa said. "In the absence of serious preparation, a summit would become a media spectacle which would prevent the Arabs from putting forward their point of view," the news agency said. Sanaa recalled that resolutions taken at the last Arab summit in Cairo in June 1996 were never acted upon. One of the resolutions called on Arab countries "to reexamine their commitments to Israel" in the event the Jewish state "did not respect the principles of the peace process," the agency said. "Would anyone in his right mind doubt that Netanyahu has rejected the basis of the peace process, as well as the accords and commitments that he himself has signed?" the commentary asked. "The Arab states would do best to hold an effective summit capable of imposing the decisions which are taken upon the different Arab parties, in order to put pressure on Netanyahu," it said. Secret talks Meanwhile, Israeli TV reported Wednesday that Israeli and Syrian negotiators met for the first time in more than two years this week in the United States. The TV said three Israeli negotiators and three Syrian representatives, including the Syrian ambassador to Washington Walid Moualem, held four days of meetings at a think tank run by former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III in Houston, Texas. Israel TV said Mr. Baker and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk were both present at the meetings which dealt with a return to the negotiating table both sides left over two years ago. Syria wants the Golan Heights back, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, in exchange for a peace agreement. Talks on a territorial compromise with Israel's previous Labour-led government broke off in March 1996 and never resumed. Israel TV said the secret talks this week in Houston were attended by Mr. Netanyahu's chief policy aide Uzi Arad, Itamar Rabinovitz, a former ambassador and negotiator with Syria and reserve general Uzi Sagay. Jordan Times 6-5-98 King receives award for humanitarian efforts Key Statement: "....The decoration will be conferred upon King Hussein during the 28th conference of the federation, which will be held in Amman on September 22-23, according to Mohammad Hadid, JNRCS president...." AMMAN (J.T.) — The Executive Committee of the Federation of Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies Wednesday awarded His Majesty King Hussein, the honorary president of Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS), the Abu Baker Al Siddiq Decoration in appreciation of his humanitarian efforts and his continued support to ensure human rights and dignity for all people. The decoration will be conferred upon King Hussein during the 28th conference of the federation, which will be held in Amman on September 22-23, according to Mohammad Hadid, JNRCS president. The distinguished medal is awarded to heads of state for their contributions to humanitarian causes. At the conclusion of its 27th session in Amman on Wednesday, the federation recommended that the mandate of the serving secretary general, Sheikh Abdul Ghani Al Ashi, be extended for another term. It recommended that the appointment of Ibrahim Bait Al Mal from Libya as deputy secretary general be approved. The recommendations also included nominating the representatives of the national Red Crescent societies of Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon and Jordan to the organisation's executive office. The federation's executive committee supported the nomination of Dr. Hadid to the membership of the standing committee of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent during its conference in 1999. The federation's Executive Committee discussed issues relating to the use of Arabic as an official language in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, training of personnel in such areas as disaster management, first aid and rescue operations, and promoting international humanitarian law and the exchange of expertise between the leaderships of the Arab Red Crescent societies. The session, which was chaired by Dr. Hadid, was
attended by representatives from Algeria, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Tunisia and Libya.
CHN "special report" 6-10-98
The Mideast March to Peace King Hussein is in the US at this time.....!!! Today's Jordan Times and Jerusalem Post are reporting that the King left Jordan on Tuesday and is in the US now. There were no prior reports of this trip, but he will be meeting with President Clinton, Madeline Albright, and other government officials. On Monday President Clinton was at the UN where he spotted Dore Gold, Israeli UN Ambassador, and in an unofficial conversation stressed the need to get to final status negations and stop fooling with this withdrawal controversy. The urgency is based on the pressure that is being applied on the Arabs [and King Hussein in particular] to hold a Summit to place blame on Israel for the standstill in advancing the peace talks. A Summit at this time can only have negative influence and Clinton is adamantly against it. Thus the meeting with King Hussein.. Quoting from the Jerusalem Post: "The king has played a very supportive role in the [peace] process, not only with Israel but with the Arab world," the US official said. "We certainly hope that continues. Now is not the time for a negative, hostile Arab reaction," the official said. "I think the king is doing his best to have a moderate Arab reaction going."...." There isn't an announced meeting time yet, but we will be watching for it as this latest development unfolds... ......the nerve of these guys, not to give us "watchers" any warning about such an important part of prophetic fulfillment.. Jesus is Lord Luke 12:37 backup articles...... JORDAN TIMES 6-10-98 King leaves for U.S. for talks with Clinton Key Statement: "....On Saturday, King Hussein warned that Israel's failure to implement agreement with the Palestinians would create "negative effects on everything that has come before whether between Israel and the Palestinians or with any other party involved in the peace process." ...." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein on Tuesday left for the U.S. where he will meet President Bill Clinton and discuss with him Jordanian-American relations, the latest developments in the peace process and U.S. proposals for a movement on the Palestinian-Israeli track to end the present deadlock. King Hussein discussed the American proposals with Israel's Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai on Sunday and said afterwards he was more optimistic about the peace process. The U.S. initiative revolves around Israel transferring an additional l3 per cent of the West Bank to the Palestinian National Authority over three months. On Saturday, King Hussein warned that Israel's failure to implement agreement with the Palestinians would create “negative effects on everything that has come before whether between Israel and the Palestinians or with any other party involved in the peace process.” The King is also scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and other American officials. According to a report in Al Ra'i daily Tuesday, King Hussein will also undergo a routine medical check-up at Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minnesota where he has undergone regular tests since l992 and will leave on June l6 for Britain for several days private visit. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad, the King's personal representative, Royal family members, Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, speakers of Parliament and other officials in addition to the U.S. and British ambassadors to Jordan greeted the King upon departure. Prince Mohammad was sworn in as Regent. Before leaving for the U.S., King Hussein attended a ceremony held at the Martyrs Monument organized by the Jordan Armed Forces marking the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of the Great Arab Revolt and marking Army Day which falls Wednesday. Accompanied by Prince Mohammad, the King was welcomed at the site by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mira'i Kaabneh and senior army officers. King Hussein toured the different sections of the monument and later at a ceremony at Raghadan Palace presented medals to officers of the Armed Forces, Public Security, Civil Defence Department and General Intelligence Department. The ceremony was held on the eve of the Great Arab Revolt and Army Day which commemorates the outbreak of the revolt led by Sherif Hussein Ben Ali of Mecca in 1916 against Ottoman rule aiming to achieve liberation and unity to the Arab Nation. All government departments and public institutions will remain closed on Wednesday on this anniversary. Photo above shows His Majesty King Hussein saluting in front of the Martyrs Monument in Amman Tuesday, during a ceremony on the occasion of Army Day. Also present is His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mirai Kaabneh (Photo by Yousef Allan) JERUSALEM POST Wednesday, June 10, 1998 16 Sivan 5758 PM weighs pullback referendum By JAY BUSHINSKY and MARILYN HENRY Key Statement: "....Meanwhile, a senior US official in Washington said yesterday that the Clinton administration is looking to Jordan's King Hussein to help quell calls in the Arab world for a summit on the frozen Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "The king has played a very supportive role in the [peace] process, not only with Israel but with the Arab world," the US official said. "We certainly hope that that continues. Now is not the time for a negative, hostile Arab reaction," the official said. "I think the king is doing his best to have a moderate Arab reaction going."...." JERUSALEM (June 10) - Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is considering holding a national referendum on the US-brokered deal for a 15 percent IDF pullback in the West Bank, a spokesman said yesterday. Netanyahu himself hinted at the idea in an Israel Radio interview in which he said: "It is essential that there be broad public support so that the rifts in the nation will heal and thereby achieve domestic peace, not only external peace." Netanyahu communications director David Bar-Illan told The Associated Press that a final decision about a referendum would be made over the next few days. "My feeling is that a vote will probably be on a package regarding the present discussions, which will include Palestinian compliance and the total scope of withdrawals by Israel before final-status decisions are made," Bar-Illan added. Later yesterday, however, a senior aide to Netanyahu cast doubt on the plan, saying that he "would not bet" about whether Netanyahu would propose the idea to the cabinet or Knesset. The referendum's emergence as a feasible option for Netanyahu coincided with reports that US President Bill Clinton recommended that Israel overcome the internal controversy about withdrawing troops and advance toward final-status talks with the Palestinians. Palestinian negotiators charged that the referendum plan is just a tactic to buy time. One of them, Hassan Asfour, was quoted by the AP as saying that Netanyahu is using it as an excuse to refrain from carrying out withdrawals to which Israel already is committed. But in the radio interview, Netanyahu said security is his overriding concern. "My considerations are over what is the best agreement from the point of view of security, settlement, and the national interest," he said. "And of course that there will be reciprocity - that the Palestinians will fulfill their commitments." In a subsequent television appearance the prime minister cited the long-pending revision of the Palestinian Covenant to expunge its clauses that call for Israel's destruction. "If Chairman Yasser Arafat cannot convene the Palestinian National Council to this end, what point is there in trying to make peace?" he said. Netanyahu also told US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Near East and Africa Judith Barnett in a meeting yesterday: "The articles of the covenant must be completely changed. How can Israel be expected to make further concessions to the Palestinian Authority, when it refuses to say that the covenant calling for Israel's destruction has been rescinded? This is not a legal question, but a logical one. If Arafat cannot convene the Palestine National Council in order to say that the [articles calling for the] destruction of Israel have been rescinded, then what kind of peace do we have? He must do this, it is a logical step, and it is also acceptable to the Israeli public and all those who seek peace. He must rescind the covenant, period." In New York, Clinton said that Israel should move quickly to the final-status talks with the Palestinians, according to the Israeli Mission to the UN. At the UN on Monday for a special international session about drug policy, Clinton spotted Israeli envoy Dore Gold as he was leaving the General Assembly chamber. He signaled Gold to join him and said "he hoped that - the sooner the better - we would move to final-status talks and stop arguing over the interim agreement," the spokesman at the Israeli Mission said. The spokesman stressed that the UN encounter was informal and not an official notice by the US. Clinton was accompanied by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who made no comment, the spokesman said. In Washington, peace envoy Dennis Ross told Internal Security Minister Avigdor Kahalani that, while the US cannot be a substitute for direct contact between the parties, there will be no agreement without American involvement, especially on a permanent agreement. Israeli officials quoted Ross as saying it would be easier to make headway if Netanyahu and Arafat would meet, and that they lack confidence in one another. Ross was said to regret the stalemate which has hamstrung the negotiating process for the past five months. "My impression is that Ross is performing difficult and complicated work," Kahalani said after the meeting Monday at the Israeli Consulate. "I believe that American mediation is a good thing, but we have become dependent on the US and that is not good." Ross spoke of a need for a continuing American role, "and there will be. There are not going to be agreements without a continuing American role." But, Ross added, there must be communication between the parties. "There is no substitute for that. We cannot substitute for what they must, over time, be able to do themselves." According to Ross, "The reality is there has been a stalemate for 15 months. What we're trying to do is see if we can end that stalemate, and we believe it's possible." The differences between the parties "are not wide, but we have not been able to overcome them," Ross said. "As long as we believe that it's possible to overcome them, we are going to continue the efforts," he said. "Our objective is to produce a breakthrough if we can. We still believe that's possible, we think the gaps that remain are certainly bridgeable and we're working very hard to see if we can, in fact, bridge them." Kahalani said that the scale of the third phase of redeployment cannot be forced on Israel, and that the parties should go directly to permanent-status talks. Meanwhile, a senior US official in Washington said yesterday that the Clinton administration is looking to Jordan's King Hussein to help quell calls in the Arab world for a summit on the frozen Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Hussein might meet with President Bill Clinton next week, a Jordanian embassy official said. "The king has played a very supportive role in the [peace] process, not only with Israel but with the Arab world," the US official said. "We certainly hope that that continues. Now is not the time for a negative, hostile Arab reaction," the official said. "I think the king is doing his best to have a moderate Arab reaction going." The monarch was due to arrive in Washington last night for a private visit centering on a family event in Boston and his regular medical examination at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, the embassy official said. Jewish settlers, meanwhile, vowed yesterday to renew their campaign to topple the government, to stage protests outside government officials' homes, and to string banners across intersections if Netanyahu agrees to a further withdrawal. At an emergency meeting Sunday night, the settlers entitled their new campaign: "The struggle of the Land of Israel." The meeting was attended by Land of Israel Front leader MK Michael Kleiner (Gesher), Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel, Ya'acov Katz, a member of the recently established Tekuma movement, representatives of the Religious Kibbutz Movement, and the Gamla Shall Not Fall Again group. Participants declared that those who fought hard to bring Netanyahu to power would topple him if he agrees to any further pullback. An information campaign is already under way as some 50,000 leaflets have been sent to communities in Judea and Samaria explaining the government's plans. The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza also plans to intensify its lobbying in the Knesset and to continue organizing flights over the West Bank for National Religious and Likud party members. CHN Commentary 5-16-98 The Mid East March To Peace Thursday's second round of talks between Madeline and Bibi did not produce the "hoped for" breakthrough in the peace negotiations. After 80 minutes the talks concluded with Bibi expressing optimism that.. "U.S. officials had produced ideas that might contribute to breaking the impasse in the Middle East peace negotiations." Should that turn out to be the case then.. "breaking the current impasse could quickly lead to negotiations with the Palestinians toward a permanent peace, Netanyahu said...." To that end, US and Israeli officials are continuing their talks while Bibi is off to New York for meetings with Kofi Annan at the UN, and other American Jewish leaders. Should the "thread of optimism" prove fruitful, then Bibi will present the new ideas to his Cabinet on Monday. On Sunday Bibi will be appearing on as many "Meet the Press" type news programs as he can fit into his schedule before returning to Israel. Meanwhile, in Israel a "mini intafada" has erupted with as many as 9 Palestinians being killed and 400 wounded by the IDF. The clashes began as the Palestinians were holding what was supposed to be a peaceful march in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their "catastrophe", meaning their displacement by the establishment of the State of Israel. King Hussein has issued a warning saying that this seething caldron of violence is threatening to boil over into other Arab countries and is meeting with Arafat to discuss the peace process and the anticipated Washington Summit in late May. So, now it's May 16th and we continue to watch this prophetic scene unfold knowing that only peace can prevent this escalation of "againstness", and the peace that's needed can't happen until the Church is Raptured....and this year's window for the Rapture approaches.... ...........all we can do is "watch"..!! [and stand next to the window] Jesus is Lord. Luke 12:37 back up articles...... NEW YORK TIMES 5-16-98 Netanyahu Express Newfound Optimism on Peace Talks By David Firestone Key statement: "....Breaking the current impasse could quickly lead to negotiations with the Palestinians toward a permanent peace, Netanyahu said...." NEW YORK -- As he began a three-day visit to New York City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Friday that the most recent talks with U.S. officials had produced ideas that might contribute to breaking the impasse in the Middle East peace negotiations. "We've picked up an interesting thread in the last 48 hours, an interesting idea, and there are teams that are working on it right now," he said in a meeting with reporters and editors at The New York Times. "If it turns out to be something that is realistic, I'll take it to the Cabinet." Netanyahu would not provide details, but his aides said they involved looking beyond the withdrawal from parts of the West Bank that is now on the table, toward the last stage of the withdrawal, which is due by Sept. 1. The suggestion seemed to be that if Israel ceded more territory to the Palestinians in this round than it was originally prepared to do, it might be able to give less in the last round. The total, however, would probably still be less than the 13 percent of West Bank territories the United States is requesting. U.S. officials sounded somewhat less hopeful Friday after the two days of meetings in Washington between the prime minister and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. They noted that there was still no agreement on numbers. "There's serious work going on, but it's not clear we're going to get there," said an American participating in the talks. The Palestinians believe that final-stage talks should lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu opposes, a fact he reiterated Thursday in a speech in Washington. Palestinian negotiators, along with Israeli opposition leaders, have accused Netanyahu's government of being the main impediment to peace by defining Israel's security needs so broadly that a meaningful withdrawal from the West Bank is impossible. In his meeting at The Times, however, Netanyahu predicted that Israel would conclude peace treaties with not only the Palestinians, but all its neighbors, including Syria. "We're going to complete the circle of peace around us, probably by the close of the century," he said. "I think we're capable of doing it, and we have the necessary determination to do it." Breaking the current impasse could quickly lead to negotiations with the Palestinians toward a permanent peace, he said. Netanyahu insisted that his rejection of the U.S. proposal for withdrawing from a further 13 percent of the West Bank was not based on a nationalistic ideology or on a desperate political bid to preserve his coalition government. Israeli generals have gone over every hill and road in the occupied territories, he said, to determine what could be given back without endangering the school buses of settlers or the most populous part of Israel in the coastal plain. Any withdrawal beyond 9 percent, he said, would put the safety of Israelis in jeopardy. "Let me ask you something -- do you think when the Americans chose the number 13 percent, they went through this?" he asked. "Do you think that the people in Washington looked closely at the topography? I would not presume to tell the United States how to defend their bases in the Philippines or Europe at the height of the Cold War." The prime minister said he did not really believe the Clinton administration would end the U.S. mediation efforts if the current talks failed, as some officials in Washington have suggested. "If they do, obviously we'll have to consider what our response is, but that will send a message to the Palestinian street that I don't think is in the interest of anyone," he said. "If we don't succeed this way, we'll find another way. To stop engaging in the Middle East -- it's like stopping breathing. I don't think it's realistic." Netanyahu also met earlier in the day with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, discussing Israel's proposal to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Thursday's unrest in the occupied territories that led to the deaths of nine Palestinians. The prime minister expressed his regret at the loss of life, but said Israel was provoked when Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails as part of widespread protests marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel. Netanyahu is scheduled to visit two synagogues on the East Side of Manhattan Saturday, and he is to attend a large reception Sunday morning given by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani at Gracie Mansion. He will also address marchers at the Salute to Israel parade later in the day and appear on several weekend television talk shows. If Friday was any indication, security will be extremely heavy at every spot the prime minister visits. Police halted both traffic and pedestrians for several blocks around the U.N. and The Times, and required all vessels sailing by on the East River near the U.N. to have an escort. JORDAN TIMES 5-16-98 Arafat, King meet today Key Statement: "....President Arafat and King Hussein will discuss the peace process and U.S. efforts to organize a summit meeting later this month in Washington with [Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin] Netanyahu and President Bill Clinton," said Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator...." JERICHO (AFP) — Palestinian President Yasser Arafat will travel to Amman Saturday for talks with King Hussein about the ongoing crisis in the peace process, a senior Palestinian official said Friday. "President Arafat and King Hussein will discuss the peace process and U.S. efforts to organize a summit meeting later this month in Washington with [Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin] Netanyahu and President Bill Clinton," said Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator. Mr. Erakat said he and Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo would also take part in the Amman meeting. JORDAN TIMES 5-16-98 Jordan warns of escalation: Palestinians bury their dead but new flare-up of violence averted Key Statement: "....The Israeli army meanwhile deployed tanks on the border with Gaza and warned of a sharp response if a new round of violence erupted after the clashes Thursday between soldiers and thousands of Palestinian protesters in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem...." AMMAN, GAZA (Agencies) — Jordan slammed on Friday the killing of eight "innocent" Palestinians by Israeli forces and called on Israel to avert an imminent escalation in tension. "The huge loss and bloodshed will lead to an escalation in clashes and violence and the failure of efforts for peace," said the government's official spokesman, quoted by the Jordanian press. Those killed were "innocent" and taking part in "peaceful marches," he said. "The government expresses its extreme sadness and grief at the fall of the Palestinian martyrs and calls on the Israeli side to deal with this matter with all the necessary wisdom to avoid an escalation," the spokesman added. Palestinians buried their dead on Friday as a combination of Israeli warnings and efforts by Palestinian officials averted a new flare-up of violence after nine Arabs were killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers. Over 1,000 Palestinians turned out for a national funeral in Gaza City for Zalem Al Waheidi, an ambulance medic shot dead by Israeli soldiers during mass protests on Thursday marking the 50th anniversary of Israel's creation. After prayers over the body in a mosque, a procession of 100 cars and jeeps from security forces, decked out with Palestinian flags and photos of Waheidi, headed with the body to Gaza "martyrs" cemetery for burial, witnesses said. The Israeli army meanwhile deployed tanks on the border with Gaza and warned of a sharp response if a new round of violence erupted after the clashes Thursday between soldiers and thousands of Palestinian protesters in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. But Friday, calls for calm were largely heeded in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, except for Hebron, where several hundred stone-throwing youths clashed with Israeli soldiers, who responded with rubber-coated metal bullets. An Israeli photographer was seriously wounded in the stomach by a rubber bullet and was undergoing surgery in a Jerusalem hospital. Two other protesters were slightly hurt. Palestinian police tried in vain to stop the stone-throwers and the clashes lasted for several hours. In Jerusalem during prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque in the Old City, a few youths threw stones at Jews at the Wailing Wall below, but Al Aqsa officials quickly forced them to stop. Israeli soldiers cleared the Jewish worshippers from the site but they did not take action against the stone-throwers, witnesses said. The Israeli army commander in the Gaza Strip, Yoav Galant, warned of a heavy response if unrest continued for a second day. "If the Palestinians choose the path of violence, they must pay the price for their actions," he said on Thursday. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat meanwhile slammed Israel's repression of the demonstrations on Thursday and warned that Israel was "pushing the whole area, not only Palestine," towards an explosion of violence. He blamed the Israeli army for sparking violence during Thursday's massive marches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, called by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to mark the 50th anniversary of the Nakbeh, the "catastrophe." He accused army snipers of intentionally killing eight Palestinians who the Palestinian health ministry said died in the clashes after being shot in head. They were buried quietly on Thursday, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. A 22-year-old Palestinian man died Friday 24 hours after being shot by Israeli troops in widespread clashes which also left eight other Palestinians dead, hospital officials said. Ismael Shuhada had been declared clinically dead late Thursday but was maintained on an artificial life support system until Friday, doctors said. He was shot in the eye Thursday by Israeli soldiers during stone-throwing protests by residents of the Qalandia refugee camp in Arab east Jerusalem to mark Israel's 50th anniversary. "Israeli measures, particularly the snipers, are the cause of what happened. This use of snipers is a barbaric act on the part of some of the soldiers and the settlers," Mr. Arafat told journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who was visiting the United States this week for talks on U.S. proposals to break the long deadlock in the peace process, accused the PNA of fomenting the violence as a "pressure tactic" to influence the peace talks. "They promised to stop this incitement of propaganda for violence," which he said had led to "tragic" loss of life, the Israeli premier said. Israeli and Palestinian analysts meanwhile said Israel's stern rejection of U.S. peace proposals was likely to fuel further violence. "More outbursts of violence can be expected if Israel persists in its refusal to honour its commitments, notably concerning further withdrawals from the West Bank," said Yossi Beilin, an opposition Labour Party leader and key architect of the Oslo peace accords. Sari Nusseibeh, the rector of Al Quds University just outside Arab east Jerusalem, agreed. "New excesses are inevitable, given the popular frustration" over the peace process, he said. CHN Commentary 5-14-98 The Mid East March To Peace What was scheduled to be a one day meeting between Madeline Albright and Bibi Netanyahu in Washington on Wednesday to achieve the elusive "break through" in Middle East peace has been extended to today. "Mum's" the word on what their 90 minute session yielded, but the fact that they're still talking is seen as progress. And depending on which country's newspaper you read, the second day of meetings will be interpreted as either a positive or negative development. We'll all have to wait the outcome of today's meeting to know the proper interpretation. ......but, in the words of an excellent Editorial in today's Jordan Times..."pressure" is the one word summation of this tense drama that is "struggling" to conclude. ......so the question remains: "Will Madeline and Bibi find common ground in the matter of the "withdrawal formula" and set a date for the Washington Summit?" ......and the answer remains: "If this is the year for the Rapture, they will." ......for, again we say, that it is the earthly presence of the Church that is the "restraining force" that is responsible for the "struggle" and the "pressure" we are witnessing..!!! [We may have our answer as you are reading this commentary.] And another prophetic confirmation appeared in today's Jordan Times in a very timely manner with the headline and key statement: "Pope lauds King's peace drive" "....Pope John Paul II paid tribute to His Majesty King Hussein and lauded the King's efforts to establish a comprehensive, durable and just peace in the Middle East region...." [article below] Because these are the "end times", then all prophetic "character roles" must be filled: King Hussein will play the Antichrist, and Pope John Paul will play the False Prophet..!!!! We'll keep "watching"........ Jesus is Lord..!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles JERUSALEM POST Thursday, May 14, 1998 18 Iyar 5758 No progress in DC talks By JAY BUSHINSKY and news agencies Key Statement: "....While there was no indication whether headway was made, the State Department announced that Netanyahu and Albright would meet again today "in a continuation of this effort to overcome remaining differences." WASHINGTON (May 14) - Talks here yesterday between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright aimed at getting the peace process back on track broke up after 90 minutes. While there was no indication whether headway was made, the State Department announced that Netanyahu and Albright would meet again today "in a continuation of this effort to overcome remaining differences." Albright left the downtown hotel where the talks were held immediately after the session without making any comment. Officials said working groups representing Israel and the US would continue the dialogue in the interim, in an effort to find a formula for an IDF withdrawal in the West Bank that would be acceptable to the Palestinian Authority. Israel Radio last night quoted a senior Israeli source in Washington as saying that the two sides were discussing a previously reported possibility of staging the second redeployment in two phases - the first of 9 percent and the second of unstated size, after the Palestinians fulfill a series of obligations. Netanyahu has denied knowledge of any two-stage plan. Netanyahu went into his meeting with Albright in a feisty mood. The session took place in the prime minister's hotel less than five hours after his Israel Air Force jet landed at Washington Airport. The prime minister expressed regret that National Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon had refused at the last minute to join him at the talks and also had declined to confer with him in advance of the crucial meeting with Albright. "It is essential to support the prime minister," he said. Asserting that he is in the midst of a "difficult campaign," Netanyahu told Israeli reporters that it is necessary "to stand shoulder to shoulder opposite the Americans." He denied that he has been keeping the inner cabinet in the dark about his discussions with American intermediaries. Sharon has accused Netanyahu of making commitments to the US peace team without cabinet authorization. Without specifying the exact percentage of West Bank territory from which the IDF could withdraw, Netanyahu expressed pride in having "lowered the Palestinians' expectations" by reducing the area being considered for evacuation "from 90% to 13%." He added that he has no doubt he will be able to get the projected redeployment through the cabinet and the Knesset. Netanyahu said the Palestinian Authority does not merit any territorial flexibility or compromise on Israel's part. "There has been no abrogation of the Palestinian National Covenant by the Palestinian National Council," he said, noting that Arafat had promised to revise the covenant in a letter to President Bill Clinton. "Why is it so difficult to convene the PNC?" he asked. Netanyahu also charged that the PA has not acted effectively or consistently in trying to suppress terrorist activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He termed this an outright violation of the Hebron Agreement, despite the fact that it was concluded under American auspices. Hours before Netanyahu and Albright sat down, Clinton and Albright's spokesman sought to underscore Israel's strong ties with the United States. In Potsdam, Germany, Clinton said the administration is not prescribing all the terms for a settlement, but only trying to guide Israel and the Palestinians "over the hurdle" of a stalemate. Clinton said he is "hoping we can find an agreement based on the ideas we've presented." "We haven't tried to find a formula to resolve all the issues," Clinton told reporters. "We've tried to find a formula to get them over the hurdle." Following his afternoon meeting with Albright, Netanyahu was to go to Capitol Hill, where he already has considerable support for his position on the US withdrawal formula. At the State Department, spokesman James Rubin said, "Our ideas are virtually identical with the essential elements of the desires of the prime minister.... We believe Israel is engaged in an effort with us to put the peace process back on track." However, Clinton cautioned that "far more bad things are likely to happen than good things" with delay. And Rubin cautioned, "This phase of our efforts is rapidly drawing to a close." Meanwhile, Sharon, who is in New York, explained his reasons for not attending the Netanyahu-Albright meeting. "I am not willing to lend my hand to discussions that are held without the approval of the Israeli government," he told Channel 1. Netanyahu would not comment directly on Sharon's statement. Instead he said, "I expected every minister, at this difficult hour, to give me their support. I am doing what is necessary and fighting with all my strength to protect our vital interests for Israel's future." NEW YORK TIMES May 14, 1998 Albright, Netanyahu Agree to Extend Talks By STEVEN ERLANGER Key Statement: "....Netanyahu's spokesman, David Bar-Illan, said the talks, in a suite at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel, made progress in a good atmosphere. "There is a constructive desire on the part of both sides to make progress," he said, and "some progress has been made." WASHINGTON -- After meeting for 90 minutes on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright agreed to continue their talks on Thursday in an effort to restart the stagnant Middle East peace negotiations. Netanyahu's spokesman, David Bar-Illan, said the talks, in a suite at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel, made progress in a good atmosphere. "There is a constructive desire on the part of both sides to make progress," he said, and "some progress has been made." But other senior Israeli officials said it was only the agreement to meet again that gave a reason for optimism. "It's a good sign," one official said. "But it's only a sign." "We still have not overcome the remaining differences," said a senior American official, who added that the prospect of success or failure remains "still too hard to say at this moment." Working groups from both sides will be in contact during the evening, the official said, trying to secure Israel's agreement to the essence of an American proposal for a 13 percent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank tied to specific Palestinian steps against terrorists. In what may have been a further sign of optimism, Albright further delayed her departure to Europe to join President Clinton, deciding to leave on Saturday instead of Thursday and skipping a visit to The Netherlands. She will go directly to London for a summit meeting between the United States and the countries of the European Union. But officials said her decision had as much to do with the simultaneous crises of India's nuclear tests, and Indonesia, where six students were killed by riot policemen on Tuesday. On Tuesday, in a major speech on the persistent American efforts to find a successful peace formula, Albright issued a "wake-up call" to Israeli and Palestinian leaders to make compromises before the peace effort collapses. She said that the United States was not making any ultimatums to Israel and that Washington's ideas built on Netanyahu's ideas and had Israel's own security in mind. Briefing reporters Wednesday, her spokesman, James P. Rubin, insisted that Washington had done much to accommodate Israel's needs. "Frankly, our ideas meet and are virtually identical with the essential elements of the desires of the prime minister of Israel," he said. In what some officials interpreted as a sign that Netanyahu may be moving toward the American formula for a 13 percent West Bank pullout, a hawkish Israeli Cabinet minister, Ariel Sharon, attacked Netanyahu and refused an invitation to join in the Albright meeting. Sharon, an ex-general, insists that for security reasons Israel cannot withdraw from more than 9 percent of the West Bank in an interim deal. Netanyahu has privately talked of an 11 percent withdrawal, and the two sides are discussing ways to enhance Israeli security in any larger withdrawal. In a briefing Wednesday morning for Israeli reporters, Netanyahu said: "I expect every minister, at this difficult hour, to give me their support. I am doing what is necessary and fighting with all my strength to protect our vital interests for Israel's future." CNN May 13, 1998 Web posted at: 9:06 p.m. EDT (0106 GMT) Albright, Netanyahu to try again to break impasse Key Statement: "....Netanyahu adviser David Bar-Illan said the two sides had made some progress, saying, "We all want this peace process to advance, to reach a conclusion with which all sides can live. I think that within this atmosphere progress has been made." WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have scheduled another meeting for Thursday to try to resolve the impasse over the Mideast peace process. In 90 minutes of talks on Wednesday, they were unable to find a way to reopen negotiations with the Palestinians over the future of the contested West Bank. "We still have not overcome the differences," a senior U.S. official said. Albright canceled a Thursday trip to the Netherlands so her talks with Netanyahu could continue. Netanyahu adviser David Bar-Illan said the two sides had made some progress, saying, "We all want this peace process to advance, to reach a conclusion with which all sides can live. I think that within this atmosphere progress has been made." But before the talks began, Netanyahu told Israeli television, "I will be stubborn," and he repeated Israel's security concerns. Clinton watches from Germany President Clinton, watching the talks from afar while traveling in Germany, seemed to suggest that Netanyahu was holding out. "I think there is a difference in calculation among some of the actors in the Middle East about whether they are or are not benefited by delay -- a stall," he said from Potsdam. Clinton said the administration was not prescribing all the terms of a settlement but simply trying to help Israel and the Palestinians "over the hurdle" of their 15-month stalemate. A 13 percent solution? American and Israeli experts held their own talks in Washington in an effort to untangle the dispute over the Clinton administration's package of proposals that has as its centerpiece a call for Israel to relinquish 13 percent more of the territory it captured in the 1967 Mideast War. "We still have not overcome the differences."— Senior U.S. official Israel reportedly brought to the table a proposal to immediately withdraw from 9 percent of the area, with its departure from the remaining 4 percent dependent on U.S. certification that the Palestinians had met security obligations. Albright had scheduled only one day of talks with Netanyahu. He was due to remain in Washington until Friday afternoon for meetings with members of Congress, many of whom have backed his reluctance to give up more of the West Bank, and for speeches to the American Jewish Committee and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a research organization. At the State Department, spokesman James Rubin said, "Our ideas are virtually identical with the essential elements of the desires of the prime minister. ... We believe Israel is engaged in an effort with us to put the peace process back on track." Jordan Times Editorial Mideast peace: the pressure is on By Dr. Ahmad Y. Majdoubeh IF ONE were to think of a single word that sums up both the dilemma of Mideast peace today and the way out of the dilemma, it would most probably be “pressure.” Paradoxically, significant pressure is on and at the same time required. On the one hand, there is pressure on everyone involved in the Middle East peace process, be they peace partner, a peace patron or a peace advocate. There is pressure on the Arab countries which have signed peace agreements with Israel and are anxiously awaiting to move more speedily in the direction of peace-building. In fact, the process of peace-building, which witnessed a great momentum at one point, is almost dead now. There is pressure on Arab countries which have not yet concluded peace agreements with Israel, even though such countries are willing to engage in serious peace talks. There is also pressure on the European partners who wish to live up to the expectations of allies in the Middle East region, but whose power is curtailed by a great many considerations and inhibitions. And there is pressure on all peace advocates in Israel itself, Palestine, the Arab World, and the globe at large who feel time is running out and who are losing to skeptics and cynics, if not to the enemies of peace. A friend of mine who still happens to be optimistic and enthusiastic about peace was asked the other day by a friend of his who is neither optimistic nor enthusiastic: If the Israeli government is unwilling to give up in this transitional stage, for the sake of its “godmother” and “provider” America, 2-4 per cent of the land it has occupied by force, how much will it give up from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory for the sake of its Palestinian peace partners? “Wake up man, there is no peace.” Peace advocates in the Middle East are in a vulnerable and almost ludicrous situation. Most of the pressure, however, is on Yasser Arafat, Benyamin Netanyahu and Bill Clinton. President Arafat (as the case with Palestinians at large) is in a fix. The joke about Gaza and Jericho being first and last is fast becoming a reality. While the situation in the Palestinian territories is stable so far, the Israeli government's intransigence may incapacitate the moderates and open the doors wide for the extremists to thrive and perhaps take over. Asked the other day by a European reporter about whether Palestinians still have faith in the peace process, Arafat answered: “Until now yes.” God knows how long such faith remains. Netanyahu is not helping. The other day he said something to the effect that Palestinians already have control over all Palestinian lands which have Palestinian inhabitants. The rest of the land (under Israeli control) is, in his opinion, vacant, and is needed for Israel's security. What a great statement, and what great logic. This may be a maneuver, a tactic, a means of pressure; nevertheless, I do not think that it helps the cause of peace in any way. There is a great deal of pressure on Arafat to break the current stalemate, to the satisfaction of the Palestinians, of course. There can be no compromises on the part of the Palestinians because as Arafat has aptly put it, there cannot be a “compromise on a compromise.” Arafat is between a rock (the Palestinians expecting a breakthrough) and a hard place (his partner Netanyahu not budging an inch). Premier Netanyahu himself is under pressure. There are those in Israel (his political opponents, the peace advocates, etc.); there is indirect American pressure; there is indirect European pressure; there is pressure from the Arab World and the international community. Most of the pressure, however, lies in the fact that very few people believe that he is serious about peace. Most see him as deliberately procrastinating and subverting the peace process. The real pressure on him then is to prove to everyone that he in fact is serious about peace, and that he means what he says in this regard. He keeps repeating that his is the only Israeli government that can deliver and achieve peace with the Palestinians and Arabs. Well, action only proves the truth of words. The pressure is on him to convince us that he is serious about peace. That can only be done by doing one thing, and one thing only: implementation of peace agreements and withdrawal from occupied territory. Will he, like Rabin or even Begin, surprise us and become a peacemaker? But there is also pressure on President Bill Clinton. So far, Israel has not (in Clinton's second term of office) responded positively to any of his initiatives. Not only does Netanyahu turn a deaf ear to him, but he is using his supporters in America and Congress to curb and annul any possible move that Clinton is contemplating. That 81 U.S. senators who signed a letter (upon Netanyahu's request — directly or indirectly, it makes little difference) asking Clinton not to publish his own proposals for breaking the stalemate (let alone pressure Israel) is quite telling. To many in our part of the world that means one thing: The U.S. president is held hostage to the pro-Israeli lobby's whims and wishes. This is what many peace opponents and skeptics have been telling us for years; and this is exactly the moment and the time when their hypotheses and theories (which some among us have tried not to take seriously) are beginning to look powerful and appealing. Clinton is also between a rock and a hard place. But President Clinton's situation is egregiously ironic: he is being pressured, and is yet expected to exert pressure. Will he be able to break lose from this imprisoning irony and bring peace to the Middle East before his term is over and before the new millennium begins? If the Israeli prime minister himself does not come around and ease the pressure on himself and on everyone else who cares about Mideast peace, the ball will unavoidably be in Clinton's court. The image of “chicken-hearted” America, about which we have been hearing increasingly lately, must be taken seriously. For this to happen, direct or indirect pressure (lots of it) must be exerted on the Israeli government. Until the conflict is resolved peacefully, however, everyone will be under pressure. Jordan Times 5-14-98 Pope lauds King's peace drive Key Statement: "....Pope John Paul II paid tribute to His Majesty King Hussein and lauded the King's efforts to establish a comprehensive, durable and just peace in the Middle East region...." VATICAN (Petra) — Pope John Paul II paid tribute to His Majesty King Hussein and lauded the King's efforts to establish a comprehensive, durable and just peace in the Middle East region. The Pope's statement came during a meeting with Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Akel Biltaji who delivered to him a message from King Hussein on the latest developments of the peace process and efforts exerted by the Pope to push the peace march forward. Mr. Biltaji also relayed a message from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan to Vatican Foreign Minister Cardinal Tauran. Prince Hassan's message touched upon dialogue among religions, the preparations for the second millennium of Christ's birthday and religious tourism as well as bilateral relations. CHN Commentary 5-10-98 & A "SPECIAL REPORT" The Mid East March To Peace The Washington Summit scheduled for Monday, 5/11 has been postponed...!!!!!!!! .....but CNN is reporting that US administration sources have said that Dennis Ross is now pushing Netanyahu and Arafat to come to Washington in late May. So, in the words of a recent past popular song..... "don't worry, be happy"..!! ........because we truly could be "watching" God's prophetic time table being perfectly put in place..!! And we say that because the "window " for the Rapture of the Church to occur this year is in the May 21/24 time frame.....and it is the Church's earthly presence that is holding back the revealing of the peacemaker/man of sin of 2Thes. 2:7-8. So, you remove the Church and you remove the restraining force that is not allowing the peace to be made...... So, what remains to be seen is if a firm date will be set for the Washington Summit for the end of May. If that were to occur prior to May 21, then we would be well advised to "stand close" to this year's "window of opportunity" for we might find ourselves disappearing through it... The following articles recount the "postponement", and the dire warnings if progress isn't made in the peace process, as well as how Iraq and Syria are getting themselves closer to their uprooting. [Libya's uprooting is a fore drawn conclusion, thereby completing the tearing out by the roots of the "three horns" of Daniel's prophecy.] In Iraq's case, she is soliciting the Arab Nations to break with the UN and lift the sanctions against her, which won't happen because of the peace process, further infuriating her. And Kofi Annan is confirming that UN troops will be used to replace Israeli troops on Israel's northern border with Lebanon when Israel pulls out in compliance with UN resolution 425, further provoking Syria. What is also very interesting [and at the same time very confirming to the prophetic time table], is the ease and comfort with which the politicos and the press are now talking about the "final status" issues. Remember, "final status" is all that is left to finishing the peace process, and as the Jordan Times is reporting: "What is on the table is to sign...It is not to renegotiate...we look at this as a very crucial meeting... This is the chance for concluding a very just and peaceful agreement." What is being said is, when the last of the "thorny issues" are ironed out that pave the way for the Washington Summit, all that would then remain is the signing of the final agreement. Which again confirms that "final status issues" are presumably worked out, and when Israel finally says that she is satisfied with the "security" arrangements, then she'll sign. Before she signs, the Church will be Raptured..!!!!!! So how important is the Washington Summit and the setting of the date..........?????? I think you get the point....!!!!! We'll just keep "watching".......... Jesus is Lord...!!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles......... JERUSALEM POST Sunday, May 10, 1998 14 Iyar 5758 US summit postponed By JAY BUSHINSKY Key Statement: "....It may be rescheduled for later this month if an agreement can be reached beforehand on the IDF's next West Bank pullback...." JERUSALEM (May 10) - Tomorrow's Washington summit among Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, and US President Bill Clinton will not take place, a US official said yesterday. It may be rescheduled for later this month if an agreement can be reached beforehand on the IDF's next West Bank pullback. "We are hoping that a way will be found that won't entail withdrawing from 13.1 percent of the West Bank," said David Bar-Illan, director of communications for the Prime Minister's Office. This weekend's talks between Netanyahu and US peace envoy Dennis Ross were regarded as a means to this end, but Bar-Illan refused to comment about them. An American source was quoted as saying the US side came away shocked at the depth of Netanyahu's anger over the issues aired during Friday's session, among them Hillary Clinton's public advocacy of Palestinian statehood. "It was the most difficult meeting we ever had," the source reportedly said. Army Radio said Netanyahu reacted "furiously" to what appeared to be an American effort to dictate the extent of the IDF's planned pullback and to Hillary Clinton's remark. The US Embassy's press attaché, Richard Scorza, refused to comment on the assessment. Bar-Illan spoke of a "chain of events" which he said were a cause of serious concern. He said the US endorsement given by former secretary of state Warren Christopher in the Note for the Record appended to the Hebron Agreement, that Israel alone would determine the extent of troop withdrawals in the West Bank, runs counter to the current American position. "They are self-contradictory," Bar-Illan said. "Any withdrawal is a security problem," he went on. "If we say 13.1% is not acceptable" - he referred to the US proposal accepted by the PA, but rejected by Netanyahu - this must be respected. He described the 13.1% figure as "totally arbitrary" and contended it was "merely a way to round out" the area under PA control from 26.9% to 40% of the West Bank. "If anybody wonders, 'why 13.1%?' the answer is that it is linked to the 26.9% constituting sectors A and B. Added to these things," Bar-Illan said, "came the First Lady's statement in favor of Palestinian statehood. "We accept the explanation that this was her private opinion, but in the region the damage is irreversible. No one on the Arab side will consider it her personal point of view," Bar-Illan said. Referring to the White House disclaimers, Bar-Illan contended that "the denials won't carry." He also implied that her remark was not consonant with the spirit of US-Israeli negotiations. "Each meeting has its own rules," he said. "How can we negotiate with the Americans on the position to be taken if the Palestinians declare an independent state? "It will be difficult to attach importance to an American commitment on that score," he said. "In the eyes of the region there would seem to be little point in negotiating. The impression already has been received" that deep down, the US will go along with a unilateral Palestinian move in this direction. Netanyahu is sticking to his plans to be in the US this week for the annual AIPAC convention and also plans to stay for a meeting with the American Jewish Committee, the gala parade in New York in honor of Israel's jubilee year and talks at United Nations headquarters with Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Political analysts expect him to take the opportunity to saturate the American media with interviews and to convey his message to the US Senate and House of Representatives. In trying to explain his policies, Netanyahu can be expected to criticize the Clinton administration for exerting excessive pressure and issuing an ultimatum making a summit contingent on Israel's acceptance of the US proposals. Channel 2 reported last night that Netanyahu had telephoned British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the week end for help in preventing a confrontation between Israel and the United States over the American proposal. US State Department spokesman James Rubin said Friday in London, where Secretary of State Madeleine Albright attended meetings with the Group of Eight ministers, that Ross would remain in Israel for further talks with Netanyahu. Rubin said they would "continue his efforts to make it possible for [tomorrow's] meeting to occur and for the peace process to be put back on track." But Rubin acknowledged that the US is "aware of the current difficulties in making that happen." Rubin's deputy, James Foley, said in Washington that the US has "reached the end of the road" in mediation efforts and that the only course left is the summit, or the administration will have to reevaluate its approach to the peace process. "We do not see a purpose in holding a meeting to register a lack of agreement," Foley said. "That's the end of the road that we've arrived at in the current American effort. And we envisage such a meeting in Washington as a historic occasion to launch permanent-status negotiations, not to have another meeting for meeting's sake." A second official offered some hope for convening the summit even if tomorrow's deadline proves unrealistic, suggesting it could be held a few days or even a few weeks later. "We're looking for a breakthrough, not a breakdown," he said. Clinton, however, is expected Tuesday to attend the G-8 summit in Birmingham, England. The US is also using the term "refine" to describe its proposals that Ross and Netanyahu are discussing, but still intends to prevent their being watered down, the official added. "The problem is: If you refine it, what about the other party? What if we take it back to Arafat and he doesn't like it? Then it's back to negotiating again." The official also said that a central challenge remains Washington's inability to discern Netanyahu's intentions for the peace process. "There's a real problem. Israel is still a divided house. You need to have your house in order before you involve a second party, the Palestinians," he said. Ross met also with Arafat yesterday in Ramallah and said afterwards: "There are differences that remain - the differences aren't large, but they do remain." He added, however, that "we remain committed to try and find a way to produce a breakthrough." Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Ross told Arafat he faced "major problems" with Netanyahu. "We have accepted the US proposals in principle and we continue to make every possible effort in the hopes of reviving the peace process," Erekat said. CNN 10 May 1998 Web posted at: 01:11 GST, Dubai time (21:11 GMT) Jordan warns of disaster if Israel rejects pullout Key Statement: "...."This is a disaster if this fails. This is really a very important turning point and very important station in the direction of going into the final and comprehensive peace, we look at this as a very crucial meeting... This is the chance for concluding a very just and peaceful agreement," Lawzi told reporters after a cabinet meeting...." AMMAN, May 9 (Reuters) - Jordan warned on Saturday of a Middle East disaster if Israel rejected U.S. proposals for it to withdraw from 13 percent of occupied West Bank land. Acting Information Minister Nasser al-Lawzi said the proposed withdrawal was vital to set the stage for talks on a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement. "This is a disaster if this fails. This is really a very important turning point and very important station in the direction of going into the final and comprehensive peace," Lawzi told reporters after a cabinet meeting. The United States has conditioned Israeli and Palestinian attendance at a Washington summit on Monday on their acceptance of an Israeli pullout from another 13 percent of the West Bank. Palestinians say they accept the plan even though it falls short of their aspirations. Aides to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say it forms an unacceptable security risk. Netanyahu's spokesman said time was too short to bridge gaps with the United States over its peace plan and the Israeli premier did not plan to be in Washington on Monday. Washington hopes the Monday summit could end a lengthy impasse in talks between Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, and launch final status talks on tough issues of borders, Jerusalem, Jewish settlements and Palestinian refugees. Lawzi said he did not believe Israel was spurning the meeting outright. "(Netanyahu) said he is not going on Monday because of not being ready yet to make a decision," Lawzi said, noting that U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross was still trying to pave the way for the three-way summit. But Lawzi said Israel could not alter the proposals for the West Bank pullout. "What is on the table is to sign...It is not to renegotiate what is proposed originally," he said in English. "We look at this as a very crucial meeting... This is the chance for concluding a very just and peaceful agreement." JORDAN TIMES 5-10-98 Washington summit postponed Ross: Difficult to overcome the differences that remain Key Statement: "....Mr. Ross told Mr. Arafat the Israelis had asked to postpone Monday's summit a few days, and the Palestinians would have no choice but to accept the delay," a senior PNA official told Reuters. TEL AVIV (R) — The U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Dennis Ross, met Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu late on Saturday hoping to achieve a breakthrough that might clear the way for a summit in Washington soon. The two met several hours after a senior U.S. official speaking in the United States said a summit would not take place in Washington on Monday as originally proposed, but that President Bill Clinton was trying to reschedule one for later this month. Mr. Ross had said earlier on Saturday it would be hard to overcome difficulties in time for a Monday summit, but would pursue efforts to produce a breakthrough. He said Mr. Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had sent him back to the region at Mr. Netanyahu's request in order “to come and work on the differences that remain with an eye towards overcoming them so that we can convene the summit in Washington.” “The differences that remain are not large. There clearly are difficulties. At this point the differences that remain are difficult to overcome,” Mr. Ross told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah after meeting Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Mr. Ross told Mr. Arafat the Israelis had asked to postpone Monday's summit a few days, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) officials said. The officials said they thought a Monday meeting in Washington would be highly unlikely if Mr. Ross failed to persuade Mr. Netanyahu to accept U.S. proposals on taking the peace process forward. “Arafat told (Ross) he was prepared to leave for Washington and attend the meeting on Monday as planned. But if Ross failed to reach an agreement with the Israelis, the Palestinians would have no choice but to accept the delay,” a senior PNA official told Reuters. Mr. Netanyahu's spokesman David Bar-Illan said on Friday Israel did not plan to attend Washington's proposed summit on Monday. “The time is so short that by now it would be quite impossible that an agreement will be reached on Sunday, meaning that we will not be in Washington on Monday,” he told Reuters. Mr. Ross returned to the region on Friday to try to pave the way for a summit in Washington on Monday between Messrs Clinton, Arafat and Netanyahu. Ms. Albright failed at talks in London last week to persuade Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a U.S. proposal calling on Israel to hand over 13.1 per cent of West Bank land to the Palestinians. Just hours before Mr. Ross's arrival, aides to Mr. Netanyahu rejected the U.S.-proposed 13 percent pullback, citing security reasons. The Palestinians have accepted the U.S. peace plan despite initially having sought a 30 per cent pullback. Palestinian officials said they had been assured by the Clinton administration that the U.S. initiative would not be changed despite Israeli objections. Mr. Netanyahu is expected to leave Israel on Wednesday to attend a pro-Israel lobby conference in Washington, leaving the door open for a possible White House visit some time after Monday. In an interview published on Saturday by the United Arab Emirates Al Khaleej newspaper, Mr. Arafat expressed doubt that the Washington summit would yield any positive results. Mr. Arafat told Al Khaleej that apart from the immediate withdrawal from 13.1 per cent of the West Bank, the U.S. plan included assurances that the Israeli army would implement a third-phase pullback in the West Bank, to be carried out under U.S., Palestinian and Israeli supervision. JORDAN TIMES 5-10-98 Annan: U.N. troops will ensure security at Lebanon, Israel border Key Statement: "...."The resolution calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon and we at the United Nations, working with the parties, would also ensure that the Lebanese authorities expand, take over the matters (of) safety and security," Mr. Annan said from Kampala, Uganda...." UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. peacekeeping troops would ensure that Lebanese troops secure Lebanon's border with Israel once Israeli troops withdraw, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday. Israel last month formally accepted a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for an Israeli troop withdrawal from south Lebanon. “The resolution calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon and we at the United Nations, working with the parties, would also ensure that the Lebanese authorities expand, take over the matters (of) safety and security,” Mr. Annan said from Kampala, Uganda. Mr. Annan talked by satellite from Kampala, Uganda on a CNN forum with international journalists. Israel once wanted a peace treaty in exchange for withdrawing, but after Mr. Annan visited the region it dropped that condition. It said its only remaining condition is that Lebanese forces take Israel's place to prevent attacks on the Jewish state from the Hizbollah. Lebanon rejects any conditions, saying the U.N. resolution is unequivocal in its call for a withdrawal. Mr. Annan did not say whether the Lebanese had agreed to work with the United Nations to secure the area. SPECIAL REPORT CHN "special" REPORT 5-11-98 The Mid East March To Peace Tuesday's Jerusalem Post's lead story is reporting that the Washington Summit "will" take place the latter part of May. No firm date has been set as yet due to President Clinton's schedule, but the plans are being laid at this time. A senior Israeli official said the Ross mission resulted in "all sides" working toward a successful conclusion, but the last hurdle to be overcome for the summit to take place is the requisite understanding of Israel's position and the concomitant approval by the cabinet of the pullback terms. Bilateral efforts to iron out the remaining differences will be pursued while Netanyahu is in the US, from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday night. This is tremendously encouraging news for the Church per our commentary of 5/10/98....... We will be "watching" as the time approaches...... Jesus is Lord..!!! Luke 12:37 JERUSALEM POST Monday, May 11, 1998 15 Iyar 5758 US to host PM-Arafat summit this month By JAY BUSHINSKY Key Statement: "....Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat are expected to meet in Washington within the next two to three weeks. A firm date has not yet been set, but the high-level conclave will be under the aegis of US President Bill Clinton...." JERUSALEM (May 11) -- Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat are expected to meet in Washington within the next two to three weeks. The near certainty of a summit comes after Netanyahu and US Middle East peace envoy Dennis Ross worked out a yet-to-be-detailed compromise on the IDF's next pullback in the West Bank. A firm date has not yet been set, but the high-level conclave will be under the aegis of US President Bill Clinton. Neither Israeli nor American officials would specify the precise terms, but they were widely believed to involve an initial IDF evacuation of 9% of the area in question by mid-summer and up to an additional four percent of territory to be designated for transfer to PA civilian control at a later date. "The sense is that things should be worked out in a few weeks," a senior Israeli official said. Ross left Israel late yesterday afternoon, shortly after his third round of talks with Netanyahu. Bilateral efforts to iron out the remaining differences will be pursued while Netanyahu is in the US, from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday night. Clinton's travel plans also are a factor in determining the summit's ultimate date. He is scheduled to leave for Berlin tomorrow, and spend Wednesday and Thursday there. The main purpose of his visit is to mark the 50th anniversary of the Berlin airlift. He is due to arrive in Birmingham, England, for Friday's G8 meeting and will stay there for most of the weekend. The senior Israeli official said "the pending issues need refinement and further elaboration." He said the Ross mission resulted in "all sides" working toward a successful conclusion, but the last hurdle to be overcome for the summit to take place is the requisite understanding of Israel's position and the concomitant approval by the cabinet of the pullback terms. Netanyahu spokesman Shai Bazak issued a statement saying that Netanyahu will "meet Jewish community leaders, members of Congress, and administration officials" during his US visit. He also will attend ceremonies marking Israel's 50th anniversary, Bazak said. On the eve of the final Netanyahu-Ross meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said in Cairo that all sides "must consider their respective positions and adopt the requisite behavior because a regrettable and dangerous crisis is in the offing in the Middle East." He contended that the ball is in the American court and credited Arafat with having exposed Israel's true position by having agreed to accept the American's initial invitation to a summit. Steve Rodan adds: Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat said the PA will reject all compromise proposals by Netanyahu that give the Palestinians less than that offered in the Clinton administration plan - 13.1% of the West Bank transferred to full PA control. He said this includes Israeli suggestions of creating new areas of authority in the territories. "We say that the US has to take a firm stand," Erekat said. "Netanyahu has made it clear to all that he won't negotiate." Erekat said US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told Arafat in London last week that Washington will not change its bridging proposals. He said the White House has not yet scheduled a new date for the planned Arafat-Clinton-Netanyahu summit. Instead, US officials will consider their next step to revive the stalled peace process, he said. At the same time, PA officials said they are concerned by what they termed Netanyahu's efforts to recruit Congress to prevent Clinton administration pressure on Israel. The officials said Arafat has criticized congressional support of Israel and attempts to stop the White House from advancing the peace process. Margot Dudkevitch adds: Settlement leaders threatened to topple the government if any further withdrawals from the West Bank take place, charging that Israel would be comprising national security if it bowed to US pressure. Some 100 settlement leaders and community heads attended an emergency meeting called by the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip last night at the capital's Jerusalem Gate Hotel to discuss the scope of the pending withdrawal and how communities in the territories would be affected. CHN Commentary 5-6-98 The Mid East March to Peace The proverbial "carrot" has been dangled... As more details of next weeks proposed meeting in Washington come out, President Clinton has offered Bibi the carrot that he [Bibi] has been asking for............accelerated talks on "final status" issues... It was Netanyahu who first proposed a rapid start to negotiations on a permanent settlement with the Palestinians, including a resolution of final borders and the status of Jerusalem. "The first person to advocate a more rapid movement to the final status was Prime Minister Netanyahu. I have tried to find a way, actually, to do what he suggested," Clinton said. So, now it's up to Bibi.......!!!!! Can he get his cabinet to agree on the % of the next withdrawal at their meeting on Sunday to satisfy the US and Arafat, so that Bibi can show up in Washington some time next week for the opening ceremony on the White House lawn to commence the discussion of "final status" issues? To this end US and Israeli negotiators are still in London working, Dennis Ross is due back in Israel on Friday, and Ariel Sharon is in Washington now trying to get the ground work finished... Of course, the pressing need to accomplish this is to prevent the ominous "explosion of violence" that is seething in the territories right now... Yesterday a Jewish religious student was stabbed to death by a Palestinian in Jerusalem, and a West Bank Palestinian was shot and killed by a Jewish settler in self defense. So the HEAT is on........... Also, showing up on the scene last Saturday to be part of the discussion was a "delegation from a US think tank"......[is how the Jordan Times described them] ........."think tank" my eye.... ................it is the brain trust of the CFR...the Council on Foreign Relations...headed by none other Henry Siegman the director general. For anyone not familiar with who they are or their position in world affairs we have included a short description at the end of this report. But, suffice it to say, that for them to show up in person lends major importance to the "time at hand"..!!!! ........and after talking with Yasser Arafat, Henry said.. "What Mr. Arafat said to us was that there are plans, that there are solutions for the problem of Jerusalem and that it is not an insurmountable problem,". Now remember, Jerusalem was supposed to be "the problem", and now at this late hour...it's not a problem any more...!!!! Yasser wants a 'state and a capitol'....and Revelation 11:2 says that the Temple Mount will be divided...and here comes the "solution" to both....!!!! Be sure to read the Jordan Times article below entitled: 'To Arafat, issue of future capital not an insurmountable problem' .........and now for an update on His Majesty King Hussein... ......well, he has received phone calls from Madeline and Yasser on the state of the "talks"....as well as the personal visit from Henry Siegman, CFR... .....and yesterday found him calling on his Armed Forces headquarters where he was received by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mira'i Kaabneh, and other senior military officials. Visiting his military commanders would be very timely if a "final settlement" is in the works.....as we find Iraq still lurking in her "state of discontentment" with imposed sanctions on her, and now loudly threatening to start big trouble....[while Libya, under similar sanctions, chimes in]... Daniel calls it an "uprooting".... >From a prophetic overview, the stage is perfectly set for the Church to go Home.........now lets "watch" to see if Bibi shows up in Washington... This year's Rapture "window" is approx. May 21/24.... We'll keep watching...... Jesus is Lord..!!!!!!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles........... The New York Times May 6, 1998 U.S. Sets Deadline for Israeli Agreement to Withdrawal Proposals By STEVEN ERLANGER Key Statement: "....To make agreement more attractive to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Cabinet, President Clinton offered to begin accelerated talks on a final settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Monday in Washington -- but only if Israel first agrees to the withdrawal...." "....The Israelis not need carry out the withdrawal first, as the Americans previously proposed. Instead, the withdrawals would take place during 12 weeks in parallel with Palestinian steps to counter terrorism...." LONDON -- In an effort to keep the search for an Israeli-Palestinian peace from collapsing after two days of difficult talks here, the United States on Tuesday set a deadline of early next week for Israel to agree to American proposals for a withdrawal from 13 percent of the West Bank. Otherwise, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said, the United States "will have to re-examine our approach to the peace process." To make agreement more attractive to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Cabinet, President Clinton offered to begin accelerated talks on a final settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Monday in Washington -- but only if Israel first agrees to the withdrawal. The Israelis not need carry out the withdrawal first, as the Americans previously proposed. Instead, the withdrawals would take place during 12 weeks in parallel with Palestinian steps to counter terrorism. Netanyahu left London for Israel, making no apologies for leaving without a final agreement. Working-level talks will continue in London, but the next important decisions will be made during the next few days in Israel, where Netanyahu said he would consult his Cabinet. The Israeli government would need to agree to the refined American proposals by Sunday evening to make the Monday meeting, American officials said. It was Netanyahu who first proposed a rapid start to negotiations on a permanent settlement with the Palestinians, including a resolution of final borders and the status of Jerusalem. He has argued that the interim withdrawals from the West Bank agreed to by a prior Labor government in the 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords are harder for him in political and security terms than a final package would be. The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has already agreed in principle to the American proposals, including the carrot to Netanyahu of final status talks beginning before the withdrawals. "We've wanted to get into final status talks for a long time now," said Dore Gold, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations and part of the Netanyahu delegation here, in an interview. "We are seeking ways to creatively move this forward, and deadlines help." Arafat, who said little in public, seemed pleased to have Albright as his advocate. He is clearly happy to wait for the outcome of the dispute between Israel and the United States. American officials refused to say they were optimistic that the Israelis would agree, but said they had some hope. "There are serious differences still, and we just don't know if we can bridge the gaps," said Albright's spokesman, James Rubin. After short meetings with Netanyahu and with Arafat on Tuesday morning, and a long day of meetings on Monday, Albright said that working-level talks with Israeli officials would continue in London and that some minor refinement of the American proposals was possible. But, she said, "the invitation to the Washington meeting is on the basis of those ideas, and watering them down is not in the works." The American proposal for a 13 percent withdrawal is understood to be a firm number, but the Israelis have publicly said it is impossible for security reasons. Nevertheless, American and Israeli officials continue to discuss what Albright called "helpful and constructive ideas" from Netanyahu on how to structure that withdrawal. Although Netanyahu's spokesman, David Bar-Illan, has said Israel could not agree to a 13 percent withdrawal, the prime minister is understood to have moved close to that figure. But given his public position, it would hard for him to sell 13 percent to his Cabinet, just as it is hard for the Americans -- or Arafat -- to back down. The Palestinians now control 27 percent of the West Bank, and would control 40 percent should the American proposal prevail. "There are still some critical aspects that need to be discussed," said Albright, who will remain in London ready to consult, if necessary. She is due to return in any case on Friday, for other meetings. "We didn't resolve everything here, obviously," she said. "There has been progress across the board." Ms. Albright warned that the American effort to mediate, without taking public positions about what should be done or which side to blame, could not continue if no agreement was reached by Monday. "We have been engaged in what I consider a vigorous effort to achieve an agreement, and we will continue to do so in the coming days," she said. "But if agreement is not achieved, we will have to re-examine our approach to the peace process." Netanyahu has urged that Clinton not make public an American proposal that he says that he as an elected prime minister is bound to reject. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobbying group, strongly encouraged 81 senators to sign a letter to Clinton urging the same. But after what the Americans consider to have been extraordinary efforts on their part to meet Israel's concerns -- including the proposal of starting the final status talks before, not after, a further withdrawal -- Albright and her aides clearly wanted Netanyahu to think hard about the consequences of a more forceful and public American role. "We have a strategic opportunity to put the peace process back on track, and we cannot afford to lose it," she said. Jerusalem Post Thursday, May 7, 1998 11 Iyar 5758 Talks in US uncertain By JAY BUSHINSKY and HILLEL KUTTLER Key Statement: "....Netanyahu may ask the US to delay the talks for a few more days, to give him more time to discuss redeployment proposals with the cabinet, Israel Radio reported...." JERUSALEM (May 7) -- The projected Washington summit talks tentatively set by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for next Monday or Tuesday appeared uncertain yesterday. The uncertainty may be due to the lack of time for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to come up with cabinet-backed counter-proposals. Netanyahu may ask the US to delay the talks for a few more days, to give him more time to discuss redeployment proposals with the cabinet, Israel Radio reported. US envoy Dennis Ross is expected to arrive before the weekend in an attempt to advance the process. US President Bill Clinton asserted yesterday that he has no intention of imposing peace terms or security requirements on Israel, and that the US is hopeful it can finalize a formula with Netanyahu that will lead to the launching of final-status negotiations on Monday. At the same time, however, Clinton made clear that he has expended energy to bring about those talks because it was Netanyahu's idea in the first place. At a Washington press conference with visiting Italian premier Romano Prodi, Clinton noted that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has accepted Albright's ideas for moving the negotiations along. He said that Netanyahu had asked for time to discuss the matter with ministers before he brings the US a response. "The first person to advocate a more rapid movement to the final status was Prime Minister Netanyahu. I have tried to find a way, actually, to do what he suggested," Clinton said. "He said, 'You know, the facts have changed, the government's different, things are different than they used to be. Let's go to final-status talks and try to resolve all this at once in a package,' the president continued. "I thought it made a lot of sense at the time, and I have done my best for a year now to find the formula that would unlock the differences between them to get them into those final-status talks. "So that's all I'm trying to do. There's no way in the world I could impose an agreement on them or dictate their security to them, even if I wished to do that, which I don't, because when the agreement's over, whether it's in the Middle East or Ireland or Bosnia or anyplace else, they have to live with the consequences," Clinton said. Clinton is to address an Arab-American Institute dinner here tonight. There was serious doubt in official circles as to whether Netanyahu will have enough time to come up with a proposal that could win the cabinet's endorsement and be deemed a talking point by Albright. In the midst of the undercurrent of tension and resentment a quiet diplomatic effort evidently is under way in Washington to clear the air and develop a new approach to the withdrawal problem. This is the purpose of Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk's low-profile meeting with National Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon, who is in Washington to address the Washington Institute for Near East Policy today. If an understanding is worked out between Indyk and Sharon there would be enough time for it to be conveyed to Netanyahu in advance of Sunday's cabinet session. Referring to Albright's declaration at the end of the London talks that the Washington summit would be feasible only if American proposals were accepted - presumably referring to a redeployment from 13.1% of the West Bank - Netanyahu told the radio: "We do not accept dictates." Asked by Army Radio if Israel might refuse the invitation to the talks if the apparent conditions remain in place, Netanyahu replied: "Possibly. Am I obligated to accept every invitation on any condition? "I am ready to go. That's not the problem. But if they tell me I have to go and accept certain conditions that are unacceptable to us - we are a sovereign country." The cabinet has declared that a withdrawal of more than nine percent would threaten national security. State Department spokesman James Foley said the US is urging both parties to "seize the opportunity" to revive the talks, but conceded that the ball is in Israel's court now. Foley characterized the situation as a "deadline" rather than an ultimatum. Netanyahu plans to be in the US by the end of next week, in any case, to address the annual meeting of AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, and the American Jewish Committee. Congress, meanwhile, tried to temper the administration's threats. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in a letter, criticized the president yesterday for condoning "heavy handed outside pressure" on Israel and trying to "unilaterally design a 'solution' [to] force Israel to the table," which he said removes incentives for the PA to negotiate. Speaking to reporters, Gingrich accused the administration of being "pro- Arafat" and said the situation "now has become: the Clinton administration and Arafat against Israel." He also chided the administration for utilizing pressure at the same time it is celebrating Israel's jubilee. "On the 50th anniversary, the Clinton administration says: 'Happy Birthday. Let us blackmail you on behalf of Arafat.'" In addition, another, bipartisan letter from a majority of the House (223 members as of late yesterday) was sent to Clinton yesterday urging him not to utilize public pressure. The letters come just one month after Congress sent several missives to Clinton urging him not to pressure Israel by going public with the US peace plan. Liat Collins adds: Deputy Defense Minister Silvan Shalom told the Knesset yesterday: "We intend for the second further redeployment to be the last interim arrangement before carrying out the final- status arrangements." Answering nine motions on the London talks, Shalom said: "At this moment the government and its representatives are discussing bridging proposals and other proposals raised in London." He said these discussions would continue until the Washington summit. CNN 7 May 1998 Web posted at: 02:12 GST, Dubai time (22:12 GMT) U.S. Lawmakers hit administration for pressuring Israel Key Statement: "...."I have tried to find a way actually to do what he suggested," Clinton said. "I have done my best for a year now to find the formula that would unlock the differences between them to get them into those final status talks. That's all I am trying to do. There is no way in the world that I could impose an agreement on them or dictate their security to them even if I wished to do that, which I don't."...." WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich strongly condemned White House pressure on Israel to compromise on territorial issues, saying the administration has become pro-Arafat and is blackmailing Israel. Gingrich was joined by lawmakers from both parties Wednesday in alleging that the administration is trying to force a solution in the Middle East that would be against the best interests of Israel. President Clinton said at a news conference it was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who first advocated a faster pace toward talks on a final settlement between Israel and Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority. "I have tried to find a way actually to do what he suggested," Clinton said. "I have done my best for a year now to find the formula that would unlock the differences between them to get them into those final status talks. That's all I am trying to do. There is no way in the world that I could impose an agreement on them or dictate their security to them even if I wished to do that, which I don't." At his own news conference, Gingrich, R-Ga., said: "Now it's become the Clinton administration and Arafat against Israel." On Israel's 50th anniversary, Gingrich said, "The Clinton administration says 'Happy birthday. Let us blackmail you on behalf of Arafat."' The administration has indicated that the holding of a White House ceremony next week to open final status talks depends on Israel's agreement to a U.S. proposal to withdraw from 13 percent of occupied West Bank territory. Arafat has agreed to the proposal, but Netanyahu has warned he will reject any invitation that comes with an effort to dictate the scope of any withdrawal. Gingrich sent Clinton a letter Wednesday saying that America's most loyal ally in the Middle East "should not be punished with threats and ultimatums." A separate letter, signed by a majority of the House's 435 members, also said conditioning Israel's participation in the talks to an American plan "would be counterproductive." "It's absolutely outrageous," said Bill Paxon, R-N.Y., a sponsor of the letter. The administration position is "nothing short of extortion when it comes to trying to force the hand of Israel." State Department spokesman James Foley denied that the United States was attempting to hand Israel an ultimatum. "I can certainly assure you today that the U.S. has no intention of issuing any kind of diktats or ultimatums to a good friend such as Israel," Foley said. He said the United States sees the invitation for a Monday meeting at the White House as a "strategic opportunity to put the peace process which is in the interests of Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and all the peoples of the Middle East back on track." Jordan Times 5-6-98 'To Arafat, issue of future capital not an insurmountable problem' By Tareq Ayyoub Key Statement: "...."What Mr. Arafat said to us was that there are plans, that there are solutions for the problem of Jerusalem and that it is not an insurmountable problem," said Henry Siegman, director general of the U.S.-based think-tank, the Council on Foreign Relations...." AMMAN — A spokesman for a visiting U.S. delegation said on Tuesday that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat told the group that he was ready to discuss proposals to resolve the final status thorny issue of Arab east Jerusalem. "What Mr. Arafat said to us was that there are plans, that there are solutions for the problem of Jerusalem and that it is not an insurmountable problem," said Henry Siegman, director general of the U.S.-based think-tank, the Council on Foreign Relations. He was speaking to reporters after the delegation met with Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali shortly after arriving in Jordan from the West Bank and Israel. He said Mr. Arafat listed a number of options which he considered as viable proposals for discussion. But he singled out the Abu Mazen-Yossi Beilin proposal floated in 1996. Mr. Siegman was referring to a reported plan prepared by former Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin and senior Palestinian negotiator, Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen. The two negotiators reportedly put forward a proposal to declare the Palestinian city of Abu Dees in Arab east Jerusalem as the capital of the would-be Palestinian state. The Palestinians and Israelis, however, agreed to postpone discussions over Jerusalem which Israel occupied in 1967, until final status negotiations that were set to have started in May 1997. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has resolved that Arab east Jerusalem will be the capital of the future state of Palestine. According to Mr. Siegman, who met with Mr. Arafat on Saturday, the Palestinian president did not go into details on how the Abu Mazen-Yossi Beilin plan would be implemented. However, the Israeli daily Haaretz claimed that during Mr. Arafat's meeting with the U.S. delegation, the Palestinian leader accepted a proposal that Abu Dees would be the capital of the future Palestinian state. Haaretz added that Mr. Arafat agreed that under a final peace agreement, Israel could annex major blocs of Jewish settlements in the West Bank in exchange for permitting the creation of a Palestinian state in the rest of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Reacting to the newspaper report, Ahmad Abdul Rahman, a senior Palestinian National Authority official, immediately denied the Haaretz report saying that "there was no truth to what was printed in the paper," according to Agence France Presse. "Arafat told the delegation that east Jerusalem is occupied land and an inseparable part of the Palestinian territories. The PLO has decided it would be the capital of the Palestinian state," Mr. Abdul Rahman stressed. Mr. Siegman said the group and Mr. Majali discussed a wide range of issues related to the Middle East. "They included relations between Jordan and Israel and between Israel and the Palestinians in addition to the peace process and the direction it was taking," he added. "We also talked about our concerns over the outcome of the London meeting," he added, referring to U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's separate meetings with Mr. Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu held on Monday and Tuesday (see separate story). During the meeting with Mr. Siegman, Dr. Majali said that the stalled peace process between Israel and the Palestinians should get rid of the "empty debate." "There is a need for everyone to join forces on all levels to push the peace process forward and save it from the empty debate which the Israeli government is provoking and exploiting," Dr. Majali was quoted as telling the U.S. delegation. "The peace process became an international strategy with no room for backing down because otherwise the region and its people will be exposed to consequences which will benefit no one," he added. The meetings, which have not achieved a breakthrough, were aimed at reviving the peace talks and bringing the two sides back on track. The Council on Foreign Relations is a U.S. non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a membership that includes former U.S. presidents, cabinet members and analysts. The council sponsors U.S.-Middle East projects that focus on the peace process and attempts to move it forward both on the economic and political track. Among their board participants on the peace process are U.S. special peace envoy Dennis Ross, the Egyptian President's political advisor, Osama Al Baz and Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar Ben Sultan. Jordan Times 5-6-98 Albright briefs King on outcome of London talks Key Statement: "....His Majesty King Hussein on Tuesday received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who briefed him on the outcome of the London talks between the U.S. and Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Jordan Television reported...." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein on Tuesday received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who briefed him on the outcome of the London talks between the U.S. and Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Jordan Television reported. Ms. Albright reaffirmed the U.S. administration's commitment to its position regarding the U.S. proposal, voicing the administration's resolve to resume peace talks in Washington. She said that progress in the peace talks will pave the way for final status negotiations. Jordan Times 5-7-98 Arafat briefs King on London talks Key Statement: "....The King voiced his satisfaction and support for the Palestinian positive position...." AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Hussein Wednesday received a phone call from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who briefed him on the outcome of the London talks. President Arafat expressed satisfaction with the U.S. administration's commitment to pursue its efforts to achieve tangible progress and confirmed his acceptance of the U.S. invitation to attend a Washington meeting on May 11. The King voiced his satisfaction and support for the Palestinian positive position. Also on Wednesday, King Hussein called at the Armed Forces headquarters where he was received by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mira'i Kaabneh, and other senior military officials. Jordan Times 5-6-98 Iraq warns top U.N. envoy in Baghdad of `grave consequences' if sanctions remain Key Statement: "....Iraqi leaders have repeatedly said that their warning to the council must be taken seriously. The meetings with Mr. Shah are a sign that Iraq is ready to risk another crisis with the United Nations if the council fails to respond...." BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi leaders have warned the top U.N. envoy in Iraq that Baghdad is serious in its threats of "grave consequences" if the United Nations does not lift economic sanctions against Iraq. "The current state of affairs is extremely dangerous," the official Al Qadissiya newspaper quoted Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan on Tuesday as telling Prakash Shah. The newspaper printed Mr. Ramadan's warning to Mr. Shah in a front-page, red banner headline. It said Mr. Ramadan briefed Mr. Shah late Monday on the open letter that Baghdad sent to the U.N. Security Council on Friday in which it warned of unspecified "grave consequences" if sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait are not lifted. Baghdad newspapers said Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz also briefed Mr. Shah on Iraq's warning to the council. Iraqi leaders have repeatedly said that their warning to the council must be taken seriously. The meetings with Mr. Shah are a sign that Iraq is ready to risk another crisis with the United Nations if the council fails to respond. Mr. Shah, 58, a former Indian ambassador to the United Nations, declined comment on the meeting. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent Mr. Shah to Baghdad in March as his special envoy to expand contacts with the Iraqi leadership. Mr. Shah is also responsible for seeing to it that a February 23 deal that Mr. Annan struck with Iraq is implemented without obstacles. SPECIAL REPORT ON THE CFR RIE http://www.4rie.com/ Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) The CFR's Annual Report for July 1, 1993 - June 30, 1994, page 4, states: "The Council on Foreign Relations is a nonprofit and nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to improving the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs through the exchange of ideas. The Council was founded in 1921 shortly after the end of World War I. Several of the American participants in the Paris Peace Conference decided that it was time for more private American citizens to become familiar with the increasing international responsibilities and obligations of the United States. This decision led to the creation of an organization dedicated to the continuous study of U.S. foreign policy for the benefit of both its members and a wider audience of interested Americans." "The New World Order", by Pat Robertson, Copyright 1991, by Word, Inc., Dallas, Texas. All rights reserved, page 66-67, states: "This august body of 'wise men' has effectively dominated the making of foreign policy by the United States government since before World War II. The CFR has included virtually every key national security and foreign policy adviser of this nation for the past seventy years." (in 1990) Page 96: "In government policy, the most visible expression of the Establishment is the Council on Foreign Relations and its publication, Foreign Affairs. Out of some twenty- nine hundred members, at least five hundred are very powerful, another five hundred are from centers of influence, and the rest are influential in academia, the media, business and finance, the military, or government. A few are token conservatives." Page 97: "According to a man who had been a member for fifteen years, Rear Admiral Chester Ward, former judge advocate general of the Navy from 1956 to 1960: 'The purpose of promoting disarmament and submergence of U.S. sovereignty and national independence into an all- powerful one-world government is the only objective revealed to about 95 percent of 1,551 members [in 1975]. There are two other ulterior purposes the CFR influence is being used to promote; but it is improbable that they are known to more than 75 members, or that these purposes ever have even been identified in writing.' The goals of the Establishment are somewhat strange, and we will discuss them in detail. At the central core is a belief in the superiority of their own skill (they often refer to themselves as THE BEST and THE BRIGHTEST) to form a world system in which enlightened monopolistic capitalism can bring all of the diverse currencies, banking systems, credit, manufacturing, and raw materials into one government- supervised whole, policed of course by their own world army." (Could this be the army of the United Nations?) CFR membership is made up of present and past Presidents, Ambassadors, Secretaries of State, Wall Street investors, international bankers, foundation executives, think tank executives, lobbyist lawyers, NATO and Pentagon military leaders, wealthy industrialist, media owners and executives, university presidents and key professors, select Senators and Congressmen, Supreme Court Justices, Federal Judges, and wealthy entrepreneurs. They hold regular secret meetings including members and very select guests. Occasionally they will hold a public meeting and invite the open press, in order to give the impression that they are a harmless group engaged only in social activities. Newt Gingrich (CFR) was asked by a TV reporter if he was a member of the CFR. His response was that "Yes, I am a member. About 40 years ago the CFR was probably a very dangerous organization, but today it is simply a place for college professors to meet, smoke their cigars and swap stories." RIGHT!!!!! A number of people, when hearing about the CFR subject, ask "If you say that the CFR is such a secret organization, why is it that we can get a copy of their annual report, which contains a list of their members? Why should I believe you when you say that they are a secret organization?" "The American Heritage Dictionary" defines attribute as: "To relate to a particular cause or source; ascribe; To regard as the work of a specified agent or creator; A quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to someone or something; An object associated with and serving to identify a character, a personage, or an office." The literal translation is: "You better not tell the outsiders what we do, or say." The answer then comes from their own document, the Council on Foreign Relation's 1992 Annual Report, where they emphatically state, in 20 different places, and in varying terms, that members "better not tell". Page 21: "At all meetings, the Council's rule of non-attribution applies. This assures participants that they may speak openly without others later attributing their statements to them in public media or forums, or knowingly transmitting them to persons who will." Page 122: "Like the Council, the Committees encourage candid discourse by holding their meetings on a not-for-attribution basis." Page 169: Article II of the By-Laws states: "It is an express condition of membership in the Council, to which condition every member accedes by virtue of his or her membership, that members will observe such rules and regulations as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors concerning the conduct of Council meetings or the attribution of statements made therein, and that any disclosure, public, or other action by a member in contravention thereof may be regarded by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion as grounds for termination or suspension of membership pursuant to Article I of the By-Laws." Page 174: "Full freedom of expression is encouraged at Council meetings. Participants are assured that they may speak openly, as it is the tradition of the Council that others will not attribute or characterize their statements in public media or forums or knowingly transmit them to persons who will. All participants are expected to honor that commitment." Page 175: "It would not be in compliance with the reformulated Rule, however, for any meeting participant (i) to publish a speaker's statement in attributed form in a newspaper; (ii) to repeat it on television or radio, or on a speaker's platform, or in a classroom; or (iii) to go beyond a memo of limited circulation, by distributing the attributed statement in a company or government agency newspaper. The language of the Rule also goes out of its way to make it clear that a meeting participant is forbidden knowingly to transmit the attributed statement to a newspaper reporter or other such person who is likely to publish it in a public medium. The essence of the Rule as reformulated is simple enough: participants in Council meetings should not pass along an attributed statement in circumstances where there is substantial risk that it will promptly be widely circulated or published." ... "In order to encourage to the fullest a free, frank, and open exchange of ideas in Council meetings, the Board of Directors has prescribed, in addition to the Non-Attribution Rule, the following guidelines. All participants in Council meetings are expected to be familiar with and adhere to these Guidelines. ..." Page 176: "Members bringing guests should complete a "guest notice card" and acquaint their guests with the Council's Non-Attribution Rule governing what is said at meetings." Later on page 176: "As a condition of use, the officers of the Council shall require each user of Council records to execute a prior written commitment that he will not directly or indirectly attribute to any living person any assertion of fact or opinion based upon any Council record without first obtaining from such person his written consent thereto." In "A letter from the Chairman" in the 1994 Annual Report for the CFR, Peter G. Peterson states on page 7, that: "... Members had occasion to meet in intensive off-the-record sessions with Secretary of State [Warren] Christopher, National Security Advisor [Anthony] Lake, [former] Secretary [of State] George Pratt] Shultz, [Trade] Ambassador [Mickey] Kantor, Under Secretary of the Treasury [Lawrence H.] Summers, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other ranking officials. Next on our agenda are plans for reaching out to congressional leaders as well, an opportunity we will fashion as one component of an enhanced Washington Program." If this was not a secret organization, why would they be so emphatic, and state in over 20 different ways that non-attribution was so important, in these 1992 and 1994 annual reports? In addition, if you are proud of what you say and do, then you don't care whether it becomes public knowledge or not. The other side of this coin is: if you are doing something illegal, immoral, unethical, unpopular, and/or unconstitutional, you will do whatever is necessary to see that it is kept secret. The headquarters for the CFR is The Harold Pratt House located at 58 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10021., Tel. No.: 212-734-0400, Fax No.: 212-861-1789. Oddly enough, this building is located just across the street from the Russian (former Soviet) Embassy. CHN Commentary 5-5-98 The Mid East March to Peace On the surface, the London Peace talks appear to have failed........ Originally, the talks were to last only one day, Monday. But after many hours of discussion Madeline Albright called for a continuance into Tuesday. This raised the "eyebrows of hope" as the world press waited. Disappointingly, Tuesday's discussions lasted only a total of thirty minutes before Madeline called it quits for the time being... After keeping Bibi waiting for two hours while she was on the phone with President Clinton, she returned to tell both Arafat and Netanyahu that their conversation will be continued in Washington next week. It seems the problems stemmed from new conditions raised by Israel.... So, the plot thickens as a new agenda is worked out for the Washington meeting. "These things take time," one U.S. negotiator said. On Sunday evening, prior to the talks beginning, King Hussein had an interesting thing to say to the participants....referring to the peace negotiations he said: "It is a sacred duty which humans are obliged to accomplish," This kind of "touch" [obliging humans to the sanctity of peace] speaks volumes to the "new age" audience that will be so much apart of accepting him in his ultimate role of world rulership..... .......and his ascending his throne can't happen until the Church is gone... ......so if this is the year for the Rapture to happen the time table would point to the May 24th weekend by virtue of Firstfruits having happened on the weekend of April 12. We still have had no news of the "dead in Christ" having risen on Firstfruits....not to say they didn't....so we'll keep "watching" as the "peace talks" move to Washington... Jesus is Lord..!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles......... CNN U.S.-led Mideast peace talks appear to have failed May 5, 1998 Web posted at: 7:35 a.m. EDT (1135 GMT) Key Statement: "....After the London talks ended, there was an unconfirmed report that the United States has invited Israel and the Palestinians for a further round of talks in Washington next week...." LONDON (CNN) -- U.S. negotiators, led by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, have given up hope for a major agreement between Israel and Palestinians during peace talks in London, sources on Albright's team told CNN on Tuesday. After the London talks ended, there was an unconfirmed report that the United States has invited Israel and the Palestinians for a further round of talks in Washington next week. Washington's attempt to salvage the London talks ran into trouble on their unscheduled second day after Israel raised new conditions, diplomats said on Tuesday. "These things take time," one U.S. negotiator said. "We've been here before," said another, reflecting previous negotiating efforts which have failed to produce agreements. Albright kept Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waiting for two hours while she conferred by telephone with President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair and sent her deputies to sound out the Israelis, aides said. When Netanyahu and Albright finally met Tuesday, it was for just 15 minutes. The two had spent nearly six hours together on Monday. One senior U.S. official did not dispute CNN's analysis that the United States had held Netanyahu's "feet to the fire, and they weren't even singed." A separate meeting between Albright and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat on Tuesday also lasted just a few minutes. European diplomats said Israel had raised new conditions in response to U.S. proposals for a further handover of 13 percent of occupied West Bank land to Palestinian rule. Netanyahu wanted talks switched away from London for more meetings elsewhere, demanded a firmer Palestinian crackdown on suspected terrorists and guarantees that the Palestinians would not declare an independent state, and insisted there be no reference to a "time out" on Jewish settlements on occupied land, they said. If Netanyahu accepts the U.S. proposals, he could have serious problems with hard-right supporters of Jewish settlers in his fragile right-wing coalition. If he rejects them, he would open a crisis with the United States and cause more splits in his Likud party, from which Tel Aviv Mayor Roni Milo, a pro-peace former Cabinet minister, announced on Monday he would resign to challenge Netanyahu in the next election. CNN Jordan's King Hussein says peace a sacred duty" 4 May 1998 Web posted at: 06:31 GST, New York time (02:31 GMT) Key Statement: "...."It is a sacred duty which humans are obliged to accomplish," King Hussein said. AMMAN, May 3 (Reuters) - King Hussein of Jordan, celebrating 45 years in power, said on Sunday a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace accord was a "sacred duty" for all people. The Middle East's longest-serving ruler, who made peace with Israel four years ago, also criticised domestic opponents of his policies. "Our efforts for a just and comprehensive peace, I believe, are aimed towards a valuable and precious goal," the monarch told a gathering of ministers, religious leaders, tribal elders and military officers gathered to mark his 45-year milestone. "It is a sacred duty which humans are obliged to accomplish," King Hussein said. "The older people among us will share with me the feelings that we have a duty," the 62-year-old monarch added. He was speaking on the eve of talks which Palestinian and Israeli leaders were due to hold in London with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to try to prepare for a long-delayed next stage of Israeli redeployment in the West Bank and greater Palestinian self-rule. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has said he accepts a compromise U.S. proposal for the area of occupied land Israel would hand over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the proposed withdrawal as too generous. Netanyahu's resistance to expanded Palestinian self-rule and a lack of an economic "peace dividend" for King Hussein's Jordanian and Palestinian subjects have contributed to continued opposition in Jordan to his peace with his Israeli former foes. Criticism of the peace treaty is a rallying cry for most opposition parties, religious or secular. But the king hit back at critics he said were espousing opposition as a policy in itself. "Recently an expression has been prevalent which I don't consider correct, and I think it needs correcting...for example 'opposition parties'," he said. "Opposition could be to a position. It could be to a specific policy or to a specific reality, but opposition parties or absolute opposition, this is something unacceptable and unjustified," he said. King Hussein was proclaimed king as a teenager in 1952 and assumed full constitutional powers a year later when he reached the age of 18 by the Moslem calendar. CHN Commentary 5-2-98 & SPECIAL REPORT The Mid East March to Peace As much as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu would like to believe that the May 4th London meeting is not that "crucial", the rest of the "peace loving" world doesn't agree. In fact, "crucial" is the key word bring voiced by all the major players to the process...... Yesterday Bibi gave some ground on his hard line stance of the 9% withdrawal figure and hinted that compromise of 11% might be possible..... The following Jordan Times Editorial summarizes the situation perfectly as the London talks approach... We are "watching".......... Luke 12:37 JORDAN TIMES Editorial: Time to side with peace PALESTINIAN LEADER Yasser Arafat did well to accept a U.S. proposal for an Israeli withdrawal from about 13.1 per cent of the West Bank even though the extent of the proposed redeployment does not satisfy his people's needs. Jordan's stated support for the acceptance of the proposal, as communicated to Chairman Arafat by the foreign minister yesterday, is testimony to the correctness and wisdom of the decision by the Palestinian leadership. As a matter of fact the extent of Israeli redeployments under the Oslo accords should have been in the vicinity of 40 per cent of Palestinian lands still under occupation. But the Palestinian move aims to play to the U.S. tune and expose in the process the game being played by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to preempt withdrawal from any new area still under his army's control. President Bill Clinton is already on record as praising the positive and constructive cooperation of the Palestinian side in the efforts to revitalise the faltering peace talks. His Majesty King Hussein has also been warning that the Palestinians have done all they could to advance the negotiations and cannot be asked to do more. The entire international community has put the onus of responsibility for the failure of the peace process squarely on the Israeli government. Armed with this extra degree of Palestinian cooperation, Washington must be able to bring more pressure to bear on the Israeli leader when U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright meets with him and Arafat separately in London on May 4. Netanyahu has inched closer to the 13.1 per cent redeployment that the Clinton administration has called for by seemingly agreeing to 10.8 per cent. But even this modest modification has stirred the irritation of Minister of Infrastructure Ariel Sharon who still clings to the notion that anything more than nine per cent withdrawal would compromise Israel's security. It so happens that the Israeli minister of defence, Yitzhak Mordechai, and other army generals do not share Sharon's gloomy judgment, insisting that their country's security stands to be more threatened if the peace process collapses. May 4 is increasingly becoming viewed as a possible watershed for the success or failure of the peace process. And rightly so. Let us all hope that there is enough time between now and then for the Israeli prime minister to change his mind and opt to be on the side of peace. CHN "special" REPORT 5-2-98 A national holiday has been declared in Jordan today in celebration of King Hussein's 45th Anniversary of his ascension to the throne of the Hashemite Kingdom. He holds the distinction of having preceded England's Queen Elizabeth to her throne by 30 days, as she was crowned on June 2, 1953. As the world unknowingly prepares for his ultimate ascension to the throne of "world rulership", it is only "fittingly watchful" that each "jewel" in his eventual crown be recognized as it is achieved....... The following article in the Jordan Times relates the accolades of the Crown Prince, and describes the festivities of todays celebration for this destined individual of Daniel's "little horn"... We are "watching"......... Luke 12:37 SPECIAL REPORT JORDAN TIMES 5-2-98 Jordan celebrates 45 years since Monarch's assumption of powers AMMAN (J.T.) — His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan on Friday sent a cable to His Majesty King Hussein congratulating him on the 45th anniversary of the King's assumption of his constitutional powers. “You acceded to the throne 45 years ago, and you have sacrificed your life for building a modern Jordan and worked for its development and for the welfare of its people. And your efforts bore fruits for Jordan and the Arab Nation,” the Crown Prince said in his cable. “Since you acceded to the throne, you took upon your shoulders the responsibility to bring Jordan to the forefront of the countries of the region on all levels. Your wish has been translated into reality,” he continued. “You have sought to protect our Jordanian citizens and their dignity in an atmosphere of democracy, pluralism, and respect of other's opinions. It is difficult to count your achievements which you have accomplished along with your people. These achievements, that have been carried out despite scarcity of resources, are miraculous. “As for education, you have established educational landmarks, universities, community colleges throughout the Kingdom. “May God protect you for the sake of this country, and the Arab and Islamic worlds,” the Prince concluded. In l952 the King, then l7 years old, acceded to the Throne, but it wasn't until May 2, l953 that he assumed his constitutional powers as King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Despite his young age at the time, the King's clear vision, far-sightedness and long-term strategies enabled him to realize many of the country's ambitious development projects which brought Jordan to the forefront of developing countries. The Jordan News Agency, Petra, said on the eve of this anniversary, that since his assumption of constitutional powers, the King has encountered and overcome enormous domestic difficulties, and has succeeded through his wisdom and far-sightedness in dealing with issues of regional and international nature that had direct or indirect effect on Jordan and the Arab region. The agency continued, saying that the Palestine question has always remained the King's major pre-occupation at the political level, and he has spared no effort to defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. He has always believed in, and worked for, safeguarding the Arab identity of Jerusalem, sparing no effort in his ongoing endeavours to heal inter-Arab rifts, and he continues to work diligently to serve his country and the Arab nation, and to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region. On this anniversary, said the agency, the Jordanian people take pride in the achievements realized under the King's reign and renew their allegiance to the Hashemite throne. To mark the happy anniversary, Amman Municipality has prepared a major celebration in Amman on Saturday, and Amman Mayor Mamdouh Abbadi, said the ceremony expresses the Jordanian people's joy. “The ceremony reflects Amman's gratitude to the leader of the country and his directives that has helped develop its various districts in which Jordanians take such pride,” said the mayor. “King Hussein has always stood by us in all our development plans and enhanced our determination to work with pride to serve our country,” the mayor added in a statement to Al Ra'i and the Jordan Times Friday. Referring to the celebrations, Dr. Abbadi said that a flower procession will set off at 6:00 p.m. from the new Amman municipality at Ras Al Ain. Altogether, 25 vehicles decked with flowers will take part in the two-hour procession, which will shower candies to the public along their way, taking them from the Third circle through to the sixth circle, then turn to go down Wasfi Tall street, the Sports City circle, the Independence Street and Al Nashaa circle, before returning to the Amman Municipality, Down Town at Ras Al Ain. According to Dr. Abbadi, folklore troupes will hold a series of performances beginning at eight in the evening and the Jordanian Armed Forces brass bands will play at the plaza surrounding the Amman Municipality and the town hall at Ras Al Ain. He said that the celebrations will be accompanied by a fireworks display at the Amman Municipality location, Arjan, and the sixth circle districts of Amman. Meanwhile, another major ceremony called for by Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali which was to be held at the Sports City Saturday has been postponed until Sunday afternoon. In addition, Saturday has been declared a public holiday and all government departments and public institutions are closed. CHN Commentary 4-29-98 The Mid East March to Peace The anticipated outcome of Tuesday's breakfast meeting in Cairo between Murbarak and Netanyahu has been characterized as "gloomy"..... Bibi is insisting on only a 9% withdrawal in the West Bank, instead of the 13% advocated by the US and accepted by the PNA. And after four days of the shuttle diplomacy of US envoy's Ross and Indyk, no progress has been reported. So, it seems that the outcome of the May 4 London meeting will not yield the "break through" that all are hoping for, and that Madeline Albright will be proven correct when she says that "all they do is go in circles".... Whatever happened to the "surprise" that Bibi had been "teasing" us with..? Egypt's foreign minister Amr Moussa has stated that if nothing comes out of London then an immediate Arab summit should be called, and that the ground work for such a summit has been ongoing.. An Arab summit at this time could only yield a negative impact on the peace process...as evidenced by the difficulty that Arafat is having trying to keep the lid on the frustration of the Palestinian people over the lack of movement of the process. King Hussein is also finding it very difficult to defend his peace treaty with Israel and an Arab summit now would not be "healthy" for him.... Since leaving Germany, he has visited Denmark, and is now on his way to Tunisia.. All the while "touting" his advocacy for advancing peace...... President Clinton dropped a minor "bomb shell" on Israel yesterday when he said in an interview that Yasser has been living up to Israel's demands of "crack downs" on terrorism, and that Israel hasn't implemented a peace accord since Hebron in January '97...[and that was only do to the intervention of King Hussein]..!! So, now all attention will be focused on London next Monday to see if any of the pressure that is building can be eased.... There just seems to be "something" restraining a 'breakthrough' in these negotiations......... All we can do is keep "watching"......... Jesus is Lord..!! Luke 12:37 back up articles......... JERUSALEM POST Wednesday, April 29, 1998 3 Iyar 5758 Cairo summit yields 'gloom' By JAY BUSHINSKY and STEVE RODAN Key Statement: "....But the source said Mubarak was deeply disturbed by Netanyahu's insisting on restricting the IDF's next withdrawal in the West Bank to only 9 percent, instead of 13.1 percent as advocated by the US and accepted by the Palestinians...." JERUSALEM (April 29) - Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's 90-minute summit in Cairo yesterday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak produced a gloomy assessment of the regional peace process from his host. This was not only with regard to the Palestinian-Israeli track, but also regarding Syria's attitude toward renewing its dialogue with Israel, a government source said. Disregarding the confidence evinced by Netanyahu upon his return that headway can be made if Mubarak exerts his influence on the Palestinian Authority, the source said the Egyptian leader views the current situation as "unsustainable" and discouraging Syrian President Hafez Assad from renewing the talks adjourned 14 months ago. The source told of an unpublicized meeting between Mubarak and Assad in which the Syrian leader was said to have "deplored the humiliation to which Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has been subjected for the past 12 months." He reportedly vowed that he will not "be drawn into that kind of fruitless dialogue." These disclosures were accompanied by a reference to US peace envoy Dennis Ross. "He is generally regarded as the good guy," the source said, "but he was told that if he fails to win a deal based on Israeli concessions this time, there will be no more Middle East missions for him." The Cairo summit embraced three issues: the deadlocked negotiations with the PA, Israel's offer to withdraw from southern Lebanon on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 425, and the case of Azzam Azzam, the Israeli citizen imprisoned in Egypt for espionage. The prime minister was joined by cabinet secretary Dan Naveh and Mubarak by his adviser, Osama Baz. Foreign Minister Amr Moussa was not present. It was the first time the two leaders had met since May 1997. Netanyahu urged his host to exert his influence on the Palestinians to be more flexible and show a greater willingness to compromise, especially by coming to terms on the Gaza Strip airport and joint industrial zone, his director of communication, David Bar-Illan, said. "The results of this summit will become apparent after Mubarak talks to the Palestinians," he added. But the source said Mubarak was deeply disturbed by Netanyahu's insisting on restricting the IDF's next withdrawal in the West Bank to only 9 percent, instead of 13.1 percent as advocated by the US and accepted by the Palestinians. The fact that Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk was in Cairo at the same time and also conferred with Mubarak was interpreted by the source as indicating American concern about the ongoing stalemate. A statement issued in Cairo after the meeting said Mubarak advised Netanyahu to accept the American proposal. "President Mubarak reiterated that the only means by which progress may be achieved, and the peace process revived in particular, is the implementation of further redeployments." Netanyahu said that if Israel and the Palestinians hold to their current positions nothing will happen and they must find "creative solutions" together. At the same time, he rejected "apocalyptic forecasts" about the consequences of disagreement - or if next Monday's meeting in London with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Prime Minister Tony Blair fails to generate tangible results. "We won't be able to advance on the basis of a diktat," Netanyahu said. Upon his return to Jerusalem, he told political reporters that he knows the world "will accuse me of being responsible for lack of progress." But that is irrelevant, he said, adding, "What is relevant is that which is essential for Israel's security." Arafat held talks with Moussa in Gaza yesterday on the stalled US initiative and Moussa briefed him on the Netanyahu-Mubarak meeting. Moussa said he delivered Arafat an important message from Mubarak. "We are passing, as well as the entire Middle East, a very sensitive stage," Moussa said. Later, Moussa and PA International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath signed 13 agreements in various spheres. Moussa also addressed the Palestinian Legislative Council, telling members that a Palestinian state is necessary for regional stability. He said Egypt will recognize such a state as soon as it is established. PA aides said the agreements with Egypt are meant to compensate for what they termed the failed economic accords with Israel. They said the detailed agreements with Israel have been marred by repeated closure of the territories. They said Moussa will meet with Arafat again today and the two will hold a joint news conference. In a poll by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion in Beit Sahour, more than 83 percent of Palestinian industrialists surveyed said they do not believe Israel is serious about the economic accords signed with the Palestinians. Sixty percent of the factory owners of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Jerusalem area said they favor an open market with Israel and a similar percentage said they are not satisfied with current PA tax and custom policy. Jordan Times 4-29-98 News While Ross reports no progress, U.S. tells PNA it will not change its proposal Key Statement: "....Despite a flurry of diplomatic activity, U.S. mediator Dennis Ross appeared to be making no progress on the fourth day of his shuttle mission Tuesday...." OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian leaders said Tuesday they have won assurances from U.S. mediators that Washington’s proposal for an Israeli troop withdrawal from 13 per cent of the West Bank will not be watered down despite Israeli efforts. Jewish settler leaders, meanwhile, complained that even the nine per cent pullback proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu would endanger Jewish settlements. In the event of such a withdrawal, 10 settlements would become isolated enclaves in Palestinian-run territory, said settler spokeswoman Yehudit Tayar. Despite a flurry of diplomatic activity, U.S. mediator Dennis Ross appeared to be making no progress on the fourth day of his shuttle mission Tuesday. Mr. Ross faces a May 4 deadline when U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright expects clear answers from Mr. Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the U.S. compromise proposal. Ms. Albright is to hold separate meetings with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat in London. Palestinian negotiators have in principle accepted the U.S. plan, but insist that it be published formally. The Clinton administration has resisted so far, apparently out of concern this could be seen as undue pressure on Israel. “Time is crucial,” top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Ross has reassured us that the Americans are standing by their commitments in regard to their peace initiative... [but] the Americans have to declare their initiative officially and publicly.” The United States has proposed that Israel gradually hand over 13.1 per cent of the territory to the Palestinians over 12 weeks, with each pullback linked to Mr. Arafat taking steps to curb terrorism. The Palestinians now have full or partial control over 27 per cent of the West Bank. Israeli Cabinet Secretary Danny Naveh said Tuesday that nothing would be achieved by the publication of the U.S. initiative. “The key to reaching any breakthrough, the key to getting the process back on track is a general recognition that there are some things only Israel can make decisions about. We are talking about security,” Mr. Naveh told Israel Radio. Israeli officials have said that Israel was considering a pullback from 11 per cent of the land, but would not agree to hand over 13 per cent. Tayar, the settler spokeswoman, said even 9 per cent was too much. Under such a withdrawal, Israel would hand over land linking the West Bank towns of Jenin and Nablus that are now under Palestinian control, and also withdraw from areas southwest of the town of Hebron, the Haaretz daily said. “We feel extreme frustration with our supposed allies — the Americans,” Mr. Tayar said. “Israel is being pressured into endangering its security, while pressure on the Palestinians to stop terror has been forgotten along the way.” Meanwhile, Israel announced it would seal the West Bank and Gaza Strip from Tuesday evening to Saturday evening as Israelis mark their memorial day for fallen soldiers, followed by Israel’s 50th independence day. Under the closure, more than 2.4 million Palestinians are barred from entering Israel. Jordan Times 4-29-98 News Musa predicts failure in London, raises possibility of ‘immediate’ Arab summit Key Statement: "...."Let us wait for the London meetings. If they produce nothing, we must bear our duty. I do not rule out an immediate Arab summit, especially if we reach a stage of crisis," Mr. Musa told Palestinian Television...." GAZA CITY (AFP) — Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Musa said here Tuesday he expects upcoming London talks to fail in reviving the deadlocked Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mr. Musa, who came to Gaza City after attending talks in Cairo between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, said it was “probable” the London talks would fail. He also raised the possibility of an “immediate” Arab summit if the talks fail in London on May 4 between U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. “Let us wait for the London meetings. If they produce nothing, we must bear our duty. I do not rule out an immediate Arab summit, especially if we reach a stage of crisis,” Mr. Musa told Palestinian Television. “Contacts are going on between [Arab] foreign ministers [for a summit] more than at any time in the past,” he said. “If the London talks fail, and this is probable, the alternative is not just to hold an Arab summit. It must be international effort,” he said, apparently referring to an international conference on the peace process. Mr. Musa met in Gaza City with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to bring him a message sent by Mr. Mubarak after his talks with Mr. Netanyahu about the deadlock in the peace process, which has lasted for more than a year. Mr. Arafat and Mr. Netanyahu are to meet separately with Ms. Albright to discuss a U.S. package proposal which is said to call on Israel to conduct a long-promised troop withdrawal from 13 per cent of the West Bank. Mr. Netanyahu returned to Jerusalem from Cairo, underlining his fierce rejection of U.S. pressure to accept the proposal, which he says demands Israel hand over too much land to Arafat’s Palestinian National Authority. Mr. Moussa slammed Mr. Netanyahu’s hard line stance. “Peace cannot come at any price. Peace has a meaning, and it is not that which Netanyahu calls for,” he said. He said there must be an Israeli troop withdrawal “to the lines of June 1967,” referring to Israel’s borders before its 1967 occupation of the West Bank. Speaking later to the Palestinian Legislative Council, Mr. Moussa called for Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories and Syria’s Golan Heights to bring “a new era of historical reconciliation between the Arabs and Israel.” He also called on Israeli pro-peace groups to “take a historic stance against any policy which opposes peace and puts it out of our reach.” “A stand by the forces of peace in the region, both Arab and Israeli, will open a new page in Arab-Israeli relations and bring hope for a better future in the region,” he said. Mr. Moussa, on his first official visit to Palestinian-controlled territories, also signed a series of 14 agreements for cooperation between Egypt and PNA in education, trade and industry. Jordan Times 4-29-98 News Clinton says that Arafat has made concessions, hints it’s Israel’s turn Key Statement: "....Mr. Clinton noted that the last peace accord implemented by Israel was its withdrawal in January 1997 from most of the West Bank city of Hebron. "It's been a long time since the Hebron agreement. It's been a long time since anything happened," he said...." OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — U.S. President Bill Clinton praised Palestinian President Yasser Arafat for making concessions to break the deadlock in the peace process and hinted strongly that it was now Israel’s turn to do the same, according to an interview published Tuesday. The Jerusalem Post quoted Mr. Clinton as saying Mr. Arafat had notably lowered his expectations over a long-delayed Israeli troop pullback from the West Bank which is required under interim peace agreements. “Chairman Arafat has certain territorial aspirations and he’s clearly realigned them. And they’re clearly willing to go forward,” Mr. Clinton said. Mr. Clinton also praised action taken by Mr. Arafat’s Palestinian National Authority against the Islamist movement Hamas in recent weeks, clearly indicating he thought this helped meet Israeli conditions for carrying out the troop withdrawal. “I think Arafat, the way they handled this last Hamas case, I think should have built up his credibility a little bit,” he said. Mr. Arafat “took some risks, so now I think it’s an important moment. We have to just make the most of it.” In a veiled criticism of Israel’s reluctance to go ahead with the kind of troop withdrawal Washington says is needed to rescue the peace talks, Mr. Clinton noted that the last peace accord implemented by Israel was its withdrawal in January 1997 from most of the West Bank city of Hebron. “It’s been a long time since the Hebron agreement. It’s been a long time since anything happened,” he said. Jordan Times 4-29-98 Opinion Editorial: Intransigence in Cairo Key Statement: "....There is growing evidence that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is finding it increasingly difficult to keep a lid on his population's frustration with the peace process. Jordan, as well, is finding that it cannot aptly defend peace with an Israel that has little regard for its commitments and for Arab rights and concerns. Failure to move on the Palestinian-Israeli track is a serious security threat to all in the region — including the Jewish state...." AS EXPECTED, the talks between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu produced no tangible results. All the encounter amounted to was, it seems, a photo opportunity for the Israeli premier, who can tell his population that despite the 15-month impasse in the Middle East peace process and tension between Tel Aviv and Cairo, relations with Egypt remain solid. So far efforts by the U.S., the EU, Jordan, and Egypt have all failed in pressuring Netanyahu to move ahead with the long-delayed Israeli second troop redeployment from the West Bank. Israeli cabinet secretary Danny Naveh’s comment that “no one can impose an ultimatum — everyone must understand that Israel alone decides on security issues and on the scale of redeployment,” is in itself telling. But what such thinking fails to consider is that Israel is not the only country that has legitimate security concerns. There is growing evidence that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is finding it increasingly difficult to keep a lid on his population’s frustration with the peace process. Jordan, as well, is finding that it cannot aptly defend peace with an Israel that has little regard for its commitments and for Arab rights and concerns. Failure to move on the Palestinian-Israeli track is a serious security threat to all in the region — including the Jewish state. While telling all, including the Clinton administration, to refrain from putting pressure on Israel, the Netanyahu government is at the same time pushing for an increase in annual American military aid, albeit at the expense of civilian aid. It is somewhat mind-boggling that Israel believes it can place demands on the U.S., while also warning it to back off the peace process. But what is perhaps most surprising is that the Clinton administration is saying little in return. In spite of Israel’s belligerent policies and statements, Washington is content with veiled criticisms of Netanyahu and his policies. The closure of the West Bank and Gaza which began Tuesday night, barring thousands of Palestinians from entering Israel until Saturday, for Israel’s foundation day celebrations, as well as reports of the approval of construction of over 800 new homes in the Israeli settlement of Efrat by the Netanyahu government, only add to an already highly explosive situation in the Palestinian areas. Netanyahu said on Monday that his state “cannot and must not” accept the formation of a new Iraq or Iran at its doorstep, in reference to a future Palestinian state. Whether he and others will it or not, there will be an independent state of Palestine one day since it is the only logical solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Whether it will be another “Iran or Iraq” is actually up to Israel. If the Jewish state continues to live in its present-day siege mentality, it will be a major party in fomenting extremism around its borders and even beyond. Jordan Times 4-29-98 News King visits Tunisia today Key Statement: "....The King voiced hope that efforts to establish Mideast peace will not fail, adding that Jordan is determined to continue the struggle for "peace to come to our region." AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Hussein is set to pay a state visit to Tunisia today at the invitation of Tunisian President Zein Al Abidine Ben Ali, according to a Royal Court statement. The statement said that the visit reflects the strong brotherly relations between Jordan and Tunisia and part of the efforts exerted to further bolster inter-Arab relations. On Tuesday, King Hussein and the accompanying delegation visited a Danish military air base and listened to a briefing by the base commander. The King watched military exercises and air shows performed by air-base pilots. Also Tuesday, King Hussein, Queen Noor and His Royal Highness Prince Ali Ben Al Hussein visited the Copenhagen Municipality premises, where they were received by Queen Margarethe, her husband Prince Henrik and Danish royal family members, in addition to senior Danish officials and the Copenhagen mayor, who hosted a luncheon in honour of King Hussein and Queen Noor. King Hussein also opened a Jordanian-Danish conference on economic relations between Jordan and Denmark, organized by the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) and the Danish Industries Union (IDU), in cooperation with Denmark’s honorary consul, Tawfiq Qawar. The King attended the signing ceremony of an agreement between JBA, IDU and the Danish Chamber of Commerce. On Monday, in an address at a dinner banquet hosted by the Danish queen, King Hussein praised the strong and friendly relations between Jordan and Denmark, and stressed the importance of the efforts being made to establish peace in the Middle East region. The King voiced hope that efforts to establish Mideast peace will not fail, adding that Jordan is determined to continue the struggle for “peace to come to our region.” “We once again send this message to the world, the message of the followers of the three great monotheistic religions, the descendants of the Children of Abraham.” King Hussein said that peace between Jordan and Israel is only one of many tracks which are yet to come together. “Jordan and Israel are at peace now, and I am determined, as is my government and the people of Jordan, not to have it become a peace between governments, but a peace between people, and we shall strive to ensure that people get to know each other and tear down the walls that have separated them for too long.” “We are essentially the same people, with the same hopes, the same fears and the same aspirations,” the King said. “We hope that we will contribute to peace throughout the entire region, so that Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, and the Palestinians can enjoy their legitimate rights on their legitimate soil,” the King added, voicing hope that the Syrian and Lebanese dimensions of the peace process be addressed once and for all. CHN Commentary 4-24-98 - See the SPECIAL REPORT at the end of this commentary. The Mid East March to Peace Todays Jerusalem Post is blasting this lead headline: US AIMS TO CLOSE PEACE PROCESS IN 10 DAYS .......and the story reveals these sentiments: "...This time Washington believes that the two sides understand the gravity of the situation and the US's desire to resolve the stalemate. The string for diplomatic decisions has run out. We want to see closure...!!!!!! " After reading this article and the other back up articles, it would be difficult not to understand that this time around [in London on May 4] there "will be" movement on the peace process..!! How much movement is what remains to be seen... The preliminary ground work is in full swing. Bibi is meeting with his "cabinets", and word is leaking out that he is bringing 11% withdrawal maps to London. The US has OK'd it... Yasser has gone to Egypt and it appears that Murbarak agrees... Naturally, the hard-liners in Israel are threatening to bring down the government if any such thing should occur. But Bibi has been preparing his Mouledet party [the hardest of the hardliners] to join his coalition by reasoning with them that if Likud falls then Labor would get in, and here we go again........and Mouledet seems in agreement. One of the more conclusive aspects of the London meeting is how the Europeans have now positioned their union solidly behind the Palestinians [to the tune of $1.8 billion in support of the Palestinian police] , while the US is the mainstay of Israel...meaning that the decision making influence is coming from Clinton and Blair who are now in agreement with what the outcome should be. The positioning of these two spheres of influence, at this time, regarding this issue is the most prophetically fulfilling evidence that "the MOST HIGH ruleth in the kingdom of men. Ephraim and Manasseh are in charge..!! Meanwhile, King Hussein, who is responsible for how serious this London meeting must be taken, is waiting in the wings pledging his assistance if needed, and continuing to "tune up" his military with war games with Turkey....full well knowing that when peace is finally made he's in big trouble with the rouge Arab brothers. Iraq, Syria, and Libya..!! He also reminded Bibi in his "letter of complaint" last Friday of how the Israeli people feel about his [the King's] desires for peace with Israel and his relationship with Israeli public opinion through the press.. This was a major "dig"..!!! But he's playing for keeps and it's time to pull out all the stops...!! We'll keep watching............ Jesus is Lord and God is in control......... Luke 12:37 back up articles......... JERUSALEM POST Friday, April 24, 1998 28 Nisan 5758 US aims to close peace process in 10 days By HILLEL KUTTLER and MARGOT DUDKEVITCH Key Statement: "....While the US has often called on the parties to make the "hard decisions" necessary to spur the talks, this time Washington believes that the two sides understand the gravity of the situation and the US's desire to resolve the stalemate, the senior administration official said. "We want to see closure. As long as we see the sides engaged, we'll be there," the official said. "This is a time of decisions. We are concerned about the process spinning on. The string for diplomatic decisions has run out." WASHINGTON (April 24) - The US believes that diplomatic moves over the next 10 days will determine whether the peace process will emerge from its year-long freeze, a senior administration official said in Washington yesterday. US special envoy Dennis Ross and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Martin Indyk are to arrive in the Middle East this weekend to prepare for the May 4 London meetings with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She is to meet separately with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. In what might be a new development, West Bank settlement leaders said yesterday they were told by senior officers in the Central Command that maps were being drawn for an 11 percent redeployment. Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza spokeswoman Yehudit Tayar said council members were given details of the plans. She would not identify the officers who divulged them. She said that council members drafted letters last night to cabinet ministers to protest that the plans would isolate about 20 settlements, which would be surrounded by Palestinian territory and have only a single access road. The Central Command spokesman had no comment. Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai's spokesman said he had no information about such plans, and that any such decisions are made by the cabinet. The council heads' letters appealed to ministers' "sense of responsibility" after learning that the issue would be raised in Sunday's cabinet meeting, Tayar said. She warned that if indeed the details are true, the settlers would seek to topple the government. "Even when a 9% withdrawal was being discussed, we were warned by defense officials that national security would be forfeit," she said. Settlers plan to hold a demonstration on Sunday outside the Prime Minister's Office to urge the government to stand firm and not give in to pressures, for which Tayar said the settlers would pay a high price. "We hope that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu fulfills his responsibilities and remains in power, but we will withdraw our support if he goes ahead with an 11% withdrawal," she said. Council member Elyakim Haetzni warned that an 11% withdrawal would bring destruction on the entire settlement enterprise in the West Bank and Gaza. He noted that Arafat has already announced intentions to declare Palestinian statehood in May 1999. "He expects us to provide him with an airport, seaport, safe passage, and territorial contiguity. Without these things he can't declare a state," Haetzni said. While the US has often called on the parties to make the "hard decisions" necessary to spur the talks, this time Washington believes that the two sides understand the gravity of the situation and the US's desire to resolve the stalemate, the senior administration official said. "This really is the process now of bringing this to an agreement," he said. The official said that the Ross and Albright trips were being viewed as "the end game". "We've been at this a long time. We do believe this process needs to reach a resolution." "We want to see closure. As long as we see the sides engaged, we'll be there," the official said. "This is a time of decisions. We are concerned about the process spinning on. The string for diplomatic decisions has run out." "This isn't being arbitrary or forcing or compelling, but recognizing we have taken this as far as it can go. This is not a surprise. The parties know our thinking. It's the time to bring it to closure," the official said. "We've made our views clear at the highest levels. We're not interested in a rhetorical statement. We want an agreement." The official refused to discuss what consequences might follow continued disagreement over fulfilling the US's four-part agenda: progressing to final-status talks; ceasing provocative acts; resolving Palestinian demands for a larger Israeli redeployment, and improving the PA's level of security cooperation with Israel. He would not comment, for example, on speculation that the US is weighing the possibility of removing itself as a mediator. "If we're not successful in moving ahead, we'll have to look at what we can do," he acknowledged, adding that the US is hoping that the next 10 days yield dramatic changes in the year-long freeze. He added that the US is encouraged by Arafat's crackdown on Hamas and wishes that Israel were more encouraging toward Arafat for the progress he has made in fighting terrorism. "They're in a full-blown campaign against Hamas as an institution. That's very important," the official said. "It needs to be sustained... Arafat is doing the right thing. I can add - 'at last' - but he's doing the right thing." Indyk is to remain in the region to link up with Vice President Al Gore, who is to fly to Israel late next week to participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations. In Gaza, Arafat met last night with cabinet members to discuss the Ross visit. A senior PA official warned Israel against trying to stop the declaration of Palestinian statehood. Also discussed were the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the London meeting with Albright. Arafat plans to fly to Germany today for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel. PA Secretary-General Tayeb Abdul Rahim said neither peace nor stability would come to the region unless the Palestinians obtain statehood with Jerusalem as their capital. Addressing a graduation ceremony of security officers in Gaza, Abdul Rahim reiterated that statehood would be declared in another year. He warned Israel against trying to stop the Palestinians. "If they enter our lands, they will not leave alive," he said. "This is our decision. The Israeli side should understand that we are determined to bring about our stage next year on all our Palestinian lands according to the international laws." Arafat aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh warned that if the London summits fail, the Arab countries would convene a summit and take a united position against Israel. JERUSALEM POST Friday, April 24, 1998 28 Nisan 5758 Diplomatic magic or sleight of hand? By HERB KEINON Key Statement: "...."What Israel understands better now is that in one respect the political involvement of the EU can be useful to Israel, since the Union can apply pressure on the Palestinians. Whereas the US has a lot of leverage with Israel, the EU now has a lot of leverage with the Palestinians," he continues...." (April 24) - Flush from his triumphant brokerage of a framework peace agreement for Northern Ireland, British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in the Middle East this week. On the first day of Blair's Jerusalem visit, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at a joint press conference that he was prepared to "go to any location, and possibly to London, to try and advance the process." This immediately gave way to talk of a London summit, with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu and Blair. The magic was not in putting together an Arafat-Netanyahu parley, that trick has been done before, but rather in getting the Israelis to agree to accept some diplomatic input from the European Union. The same Europe had infuriated Israel last year when it drafted the Luxembourg Declaration that committed Europe to "enhancing its support to Palestinian institutions in east Jerusalem." The same Europe had adopted the Venice Declaration in 1980, calling for self-determination for the Palestinians - a euphemism for statehood - and active PLO participation in peace negotiations. Both ideas were deemed downright anti-Israel by Jerusalem at the time. The same Europeans have also traditionally been viewed by Jerusalem as too biased and pro-Palestinian to deserve any real role in the peace process. Alfred Tovias, an international relations professor and deputy director of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Helmut Kohl Institute for European Relations, says that Europe's engagement in the Middle East in 1998 is far different than in 1980. "Eighteen years ago, at the time of the Venice Declaration, the Europeans had no leverage with the Palestinians, and only minor leverage with Israel," Tovias says. By leverage, he means influence stemming from economic assistance. "The ones who had leverage with the Palestinians were the Saudis and the Russians," he says. Today, Tovias says, "the Europeans have taken the place of the Saudis and Russians. My thesis is that Israel can make some capital of this." According to EU figures, Europe has provided some $1.8 billion of aid to the Palestinians since 1993, by far the largest contribution in the world. Although Tovias says he has not seen any willingness by Israel to let the EU get involved in political questions, "there might be a slow erosion in this regard." "What Israel understands better now is that in one respect the political involvement of the EU can be useful to Israel, since the Union can apply pressure on the Palestinians. Whereas the US has a lot of leverage with Israel, the EU now has a lot of leverage with the Palestinians," he continues. Tovias says that while blocking European involvement in peace talks has had the positive aspect of preventing pressure on Israel from the EU, "you also don't get pressure on the Palestinians either. When you realize that the Europeans are essentially financing the Palestinian Police, you realize they may have a lot of leverage with the other side, and begin to think that their involvement can be used for your own purposes." Still, the summits planned for May 4 in London seem a long way from shunting the Americans aside and replacing US envoy Dennis Ross with Blair. The dust has settled since Blair's visit on Sunday, and the four-way summit initially discussed is planned as separate meetings between Albright and Netanyahu, and Albright and Arafat, with Blair stepping in to say a cordial "hello." Jacques Neriah, a former diplomatic advisor to late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, maintains that what happened this week with Blair is no indication at all that Israel has softened its stand toward the Europeans. "I think it is all part of a gimmick to buy time," Neriah says. "Another conference, another meeting. More activity, but no action." "Everyone realizes that nothing will move without the Americans, and no one will dare try to replace the Americans," he says. Besides, adds Neriah, who heads the Israel Humanitarian Foundation which distributes two to three million dollars annually to various charitable causes, "although the Europeans may have leverage with the Palestinians, they have limited ability to coerce Israel into doing anything." That may be true, argues Tovias, but together the US and the Europeans may make an effective team, with the US able to apply pressure on Israel, and the EU able to turn some screws on the Palestinians. Moshe Raviv, the ambassador to Britain from 1993 to 1997, warns against placing too much emphasis on the site of the Albright-Arafat, Albright-Netanyahu meetings scheduled for May 4 in London. He says this should in no way be construed as a change in Israel's perception of a European role. "This is not a turning point," Raviv says. "The meetings will only be significant if they produce results - unless this happens, it will just be another meeting. It does not in any way represent a change in Israeli attitudes toward Europe, but is just a matter of convenience." Raviv says that the Palestinians, who see themselves as the weaker partner in negotiations, are always looking for third partners to assist them. "But experience must have taught them that the best results are when we sit down face to face - as in Oslo. The major breakthroughs have been made directly between Israelis and Palestinians," Raviv says. Yehuda Blum, the ambassador to the UN from 1978 to 1984, says that the US may be using the possibility of greater European involvement as a threat to dangle over Israel's head. "They could be using the Europeans as a stick," Blum says, "saying to us, - if you don't get along with our proposals, there are others out there waiting to have a go - try your luck with them." Blum says it is not clear from what transpired in Jerusalem and Gaza this week just how active the EU will be in the London talks. "There were mixed signals," Blum says. "Blair said that the Americans are behind the meetings in London, and he is only the host. "That means he is putting forth the facilities, Britain's good offices. "I think that is more a gesture to the Americans, than to us. He does not want to get in any kind of confrontation with the US." The Palestinians, Blum agrees, want to see increased EU involvement out of a belief that the Europeans would put more pressure on Israel than the Americans would. But, he said, nobody should delude themselves into believing that hosting a meeting is the same as active engagement in the process. "[Cabinet secretary Dan] Naveh made clear that London is only a meeting place, and does not mean that the European committee is involved. I have the feeling that he was sent to clarify after Netanyahu's remarks at the press conference that the Europeans are not going to be involved like the Americans, and are not going to be the fourth leg to the chair. It really does not make a difference if they meet in London, Copenhagen or elsewhere. The site is not significant," Blum says. Despite the success Blair had in Ireland, Blum doesn't think the British leader, whose six month turn as head of the 15-nation EU ends in June, is dying to get involved here. "There are those in Europe who want to get involved, primarily the French and the Spanish. But I don't get the impression that Blair wants to get that actively involved, not because he is afraid of the conflict, but because of the Anglo-American friendship - he does not want to give the Americans the impression that he is acting as a competitor," Blum says. "It seems to me what he is trying to do is balance between the Americans - who don't want too much European involvement - and other Europeans, like the French, who want to see a more active role." Jordan Times 4-23-98 News To avoid dangers of failed peace process, Jordan pushes for movement on PNA-Israel track By Alia A. Toukan Key Statement: "....King Hussein's letter was primarily directed against Mr. Netanyahu, officials say. But analysts assert that King Hussein, aware of the deep respect he enjoys with Israelis, as well as the Jewish state's notoriety for media leaks, must have also been targeting Israeli public opinion....." AMMAN — Jordan, concerned by possible repercussions of the continued deadlock in the peace process, is trying to affirm its role as a regional peace-maker by pushing for movement on the Palestinian- Israeli track, officials and analysts say. Reminiscent of its active involvement in the eleventh hour talks before reaching the Palestinian-Israeli Hebron accords early last year, Jordan has in the past month stepped up its diplomatic profile in ensuring that the peace process does not collapse. The Kingdom has a vested interest in seeing the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel and the implementation of the second Israeli troop redeployment from the West Bank, after it has put itself out on a limb by sealing its 1994 peace treaty with the Jewish state. Jordan, however, is walking a political tightrope in carving out a role for itself while simultaneously not posing a real or perceived threat to the PNA, analysts say. The Kingdom’s attempts at being accepted as a regional peace-broker is part and parcel of its concern that its interests be taken into consideration in any final deal between the Palestinians and Israelis. Seeking a role as a peace-broker has always been a difficult task as it “evokes regional suspicions and rivalry,” as one analyst concedes. Jordan’s potential involvement in a final status deal, whether direct or indirect, has always raised misgivings in some Palestinian circles. Jordan has officially said that it will not partake in any final status negotiations. “Jordan has to be considered in the outcome of several final status issues that affect its national security, but will not take part in the actual negotiations,” a former senior official told the Jordan Times. While the Kingdom seeks to ensure that its role in pushing the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks is sufficiently recognized both regionally and internationally, it must also constantly reassure the PNA that it has no political ambitions on the West Bank and in final status negotiations, and is not interested in politically weakening the Palestinians. A case in point was His Majesty King Hussein’s letter to Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali last week, in which the Monarch cited local media attempts at sabotaging Jordanian-PNA relations. The letter reiterated Jordan’s full recognition of the PNA as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and its whole hearted support for Palestinian national aspirations. The letter came a day after a formal complaint was sent from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to King Hussein, in which the Palestinian president cited Jordanian media reports, Hamas statements from Jordan, as well as official statements in relation to the PNA-Hamas dispute over the controversial death of Mohieddin Sharif, officials told the Jordan Times. What particularly angered the Palestinians was what they saw as Jordan’s refusal to support the PNA’s version of who was responsible for Sharif’s death late last month. Jordanian officials had said that the Kingdom would not interfere in internal Palestinian politics. In this context, King Hussein’s letter was targeting the government as much as the local press. The presence of a five-member Hamas office, which Jordan insists functions solely as a media outlet, has long been a sore point in relations with the PNA and Israel. During the latest internal Palestinian dispute, the PNA was angered by the fact that Jordan did not stop the Hamas office in Jordan from issuing statements. “For Jordan to play a role in the peace process it needs to be on good terms with everyone, in particular the Palestinians and Israelis,” one analyst says, as evidenced in the many Israeli visits to the Kingdom, and Jordanian attempts at coordination with the Palestinians and Egyptians. Others, however, contend that maintaining good relations with all the players in the arena is a mission impossible. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan’s visit to Tel Aviv on March 10 was necessary to mend full ties with the Jewish state following the Mossad’s failed attack on a Hamas leader in Amman last fall, prior to His Majesty’s talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Washington later that month, officials say. But considering the delaying tactics of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, Jordan’s relations with Israel, although welcomed internationally and especially by the U.S., have increasingly become more of a liability than an asset both at home and in the region. The Kingdom, home to approximately 1.8 million Palestinian refugees, has also been suffering acute economic hardships. One of the basic premises of Jordan’s peace treaty with the Jewish state was that there would be movement on the Palestinian-Israeli track, an assumption that has been shattered since Mr. Netanyahu came to power in May 1996. The government is finding it increasingly difficult to convince the population of the merits of a peace process that is becoming more unpopular by the day. “Either you give people emotional support or material benefits. But lately people have been denied both. The situation is so difficult now and we have very limited strategic options. If it wasn’t for Jordanians’ personal love for His Majesty, I dread to think what could happen,” a seasoned politician recently told the Jordan Times. Jordan is finding that it can no longer accept Israeli excuses for not implementing its agreements with the Palestinians. It was not surprising then that King Hussein wrote a letter of protest to Mr. Netanyahu on Friday, only a day after meeting with him in Eilat. The letter, which preceded the visits of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen to the region, reflected King Hussein’s frustration with Mr. Netanyahu’s refusal to commit to the American proposals for a troop withdrawal from 13 per cent of the West Bank at Thursday’s Eilat talks, officials told the Jordan Times earlier this week. According to various sources, the letter which was described as “cordial but strong,” outlined all terms of reference of the Arab- Israeli conflict and all agreements signed by the Jewish State with the Palestinians, and warned of the dire consequences of failing to move ahead with the overdue second redeployment. King Hussein’s letter was primarily directed against Mr. Netanyahu, officials say. But analysts assert that King Hussein, aware of the deep respect he enjoys with Israelis, as well as the Jewish state’s notoriety for media leaks, must have also been targeting Israeli public opinion. At this point, Jordan firmly places the blame on Mr. Netanyahu for the continuing impasse, officials and analysts say. As such, it is believed that the onus is completely on the Israeli government to avert an absolute collapse in the peace process which would have major repercussions not only on Jordan but also on the entire region. Meanwhile, analysts say, Jordan has little choice but to continue its present course of both pressing the Israeli government and ensuring good relations with major regional and international players so that its peace-making role is recognized in the future. Jordan Times 4-23-98 News Netanyahu ministers hold new debate on troop pullback Key Statement: "....Mr. Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government has so far offered to cede only nine per cent of the West Bank at this time. But Israeli press reports said he is trying to convince hard-liners to increase this to 11 per cent...." TEL AVIV (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet held a new debate Wednesday over how much additional West Bank land Israel would be willing to cede to revive U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians, officials said. After the meeting, Mr. Netanyahu held talks on the pullback with his “kitchen” cabinet including Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, National Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon and Industry and Trade Minister Natan Sharansky. Mr. Netanyahu is reportedly trying to convince ministers to accept a slight increase in Israel’s offer for the long-overdue troop withdrawal ahead of top-level talks among U.S., Israeli and Palestinian officials in London on May 4. U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross and Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk are due in Israel Saturday to try to obtain Israeli and Palestinian agreement on a package peace deal to be finalized in London. The U.S. proposal is reportedly centred on a staged Israeli withdrawal from an additional 13 per cent of the West Bank in tandem with Palestinian measures against anti-Israeli activists. The U.S. plan would have the two sides then enter into negotiations on a final peace agreement. Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government has so far offered to cede only nine per cent of the West Bank at this time. But Israeli press reports said he is trying to convince hard-liners to increase this to 11 per cent. The Palestinian National Authority says that interim peace accords require Israel to withdraw from 30 per cent of the West Bank now and another 30 per cent in mid-year. The Palestinians currently have full or partial control of 27 per cent of the territory and most of the Gaza Strip. But Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said Monday that he accepted the U.S. compromise proposal in principle and called on Mr. Ross to make the U.S. ideas public during his next mission. New impetus has been injected into the peace effort since British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat early this week and obtained their agreement to the London talks. The current plan is for Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat to meet separately with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Mr. Blair in the British capital. If the two sides can agree on the U.S. peace proposals, a Netanyahu-Arafat summit could be held, although all sides have been playing down expectations of a major breakthrough after more than a year of stalemate in the negotiations. As part of a flurry of diplomatic activity surrounding the latest U.S. peace push, Mr. Netanyahu’s office announced late Tuesday that he would meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Tuesday in Cairo. It will be their first encounter in a year and follows sharp Egyptian criticism of Mr. Netanyahu’s hard-line stance in negotiations with the Palestinians. Also next week U.S. Vice President Al Gore is scheduled to visit Israel for celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Jewish state on April 30. Israeli press reports say Mr. Gore will meet with both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat to press for agreement on the U.S. peace package ahead of the London talks. Jordan Times 4-23-98 News Egyptian-Palestinian talks focus on stalled Mideast negotiations CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday and discussed the U.S efforts to nudge forward stalled Middle East peace negotiations. Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Musa outlined the talks to reporters after the session and said the two leaders agreed to meet again following May 4 negotiations in London between Israel and the Palestinians. Mr. Musa said Mr. Arafat was going to the London meeting in agreement with an American plan for Israel to withdraw from a further 13.1 per cent of the West Bank over 12 weeks in exchange for new Palestinian security guarantees. “The Palestinian side has accepted the American initiative... but the problem lies with the Israeli government,” Mr. Moussa said. Mr. Mubarak and Mr. Netanyahu are also expected
to meet next Tuesday in Cairo, and Mr. Musa said those discussions would
focus on “what is going in the Middle East peace and the dangers that threaten
its collapse.” Mr. Mubarak, who has long tried to mediate between the Israelis
and Palestinians, has repeatedly warned the entire peace process could
fall apart unless Israel is willing to compromise.
CHN "special report" 4-25-98
Chalk up another "peace" award for the King........ Jordan's King Hussein is in Germany this weekend receiving his second award in five weeks for his efforts of bringing peace to the Middle East. You might recall that on March 16th he was at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York receiving the Wiesenthal Centre Humanitarian Award for his efforts to bring peace to the Middle East. The award this weekend is the 1997 German Media Award....... Ironic as it might seem, Yasser Arafat was in attendance as well as Shimon Peres... .......but the real topper is what German President Roman Herzog had to say about the King: "This prize is a recognition of your intrinsic qualities: for visionary strength, for pragmatism, for readiness to cooperate and -- last but not least -- for the ability to communicate," "......for the ability to communicate"...this is Daniel's "little horn" character you're talking about..!! You bet he can communicate......and speak those flattering words..!!!! Enjoy these articles. As the King is doin' his thing................... We're watching.. Luke 12:37 Jordan Times 4-25-98 News King receives German Media Award King, Kohl discuss European role in peace process, sanctions toll on By Fairouz Abu-Ghazaleh Key Statement: "....Later on in the evening, His Majesty received the 1997 German Media Award for his dedication and commitment to peace...." BADEN-BADEN — His Majesty King Hussein on Friday met with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and discussed with him the European role in the stalled Mideast peace process, the suffering of the sanctions-stricken Iraqi people and bilateral relations between the two countries. The King stressed Jordan’s commitment to achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region and helping the “Palestinian brothers in securing their legitimate rights and establishing their own state on their national soil.” King Hussein emphasised Jordan’s principled stand towards a just, comprehensive and durable peace in the region. The King also called for a review of the sanctions imposed on the Iraqi people. “It is time for seriously taking into consideration the sanctions being imposed on the Iraqi people for the past ten years,” said the King. Also during yesterday’s meeting with Chancellor Kohl, the King expressed gratitude for Germany’s continual assistance to the Kingdom’s various sectors. Chancellor Kohl voiced his appreciation to King Hussein’s continued efforts for a better understanding among nations on the basis of justice, equality, and international legitimacy, stressing that Germany will continue its support for Jordan to enable it achieve its objectives and aspirations. He also underlined his country’s commitment towards full implementation of all provisions of the Jordanian-European partnership agreement. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali and Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, as well as senior officials on both sides. Jordan represents one of the highest per capita recipients of German aid, which totaled around two billion marks since 1962. German aid to Jordan for the 1998 fiscal year is 64 million marks. In addition, Germany contributes 30 per cent of the European Union’s budget, which has a separate aid programme for Jordan and other countries. In a separate meeting, attended by Her Majesty Queen Noor and HRH Princess Haya, German President Roman Herzog expressed support for Jordanian efforts aimed at establishing a lasting peace in the Middle East. President Herzog lauded the role of King Hussein in developing Jordan in spite of the scarcity of its resources and capabilities. King Hussein also received at his residence in Bonn German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and discussed with him means of bolstering bilateral ties in all fields. He also discussed with Mr. Kinkel the peace process in the Middle East and means of pushing it forward. Later on in the evening, His Majesty received the 1997 German Media Award for his dedication and commitment to peace. The ceremony was attended by President Herzog. More than 400 leaders, politicians and international media representatives attended the high-profile event, including Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The King is accompanied by Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali, Chief of the Royal Court Fayez Tarawneh and Deputy Prime Minister Jawad Anani. The King and the Queen are scheduled to pay a state visit to Denmark from April 27-29 and then Tunis afterwards. Upon the King’s departure Thursday for Germany, HRH Crown Prince Hassan was sworn in as Regent. CNN 25 April 1998 Web posted at: 04:52 GST, New York time (00:52 GMT) Jordan's king urges Netanyahu on Mideast peace Key Statement: "...."This prize is a recognition of your intrinsic qualities: for visionary strength, for pragmatism, for readiness to cooperate and -- last but not least -- for the ability to communicate," he told the king...." BADEN-BADEN, Germany, April 24 (Reuters) - King Hussein of Jordan on Friday urged Israel's right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to help advance the Middle East peace process. The king, speaking at an awards ceremony in the German spa town of Baden-Baden, said Netanyahu could be sure of Jordan's support as long as he backed peace efforts. "I hope and ask that he will commit himself to our course, the course of peace as he has promised, and we will support him in this," the king said as he accepted the German media industry's annual award for outstanding international figures. "We see ourselves in a critical time -- a time when we can continue to build on our achievements, particularly regarding the situation in Israel and Palestine," the king said. "We cannot afford to lose time and we cannot miss the opportunity to move forward," he told an audience which also included German President Roman Herzog, former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Arafat himself won media prize in 1995 together with former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was awarded the honour posthumously. Other winners of the prize, an award conferred by leading newspaper and magazine editors, include Russian President Boris Yeltsin, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and former French President Francois Mitterrand. Herzog hailed the king's efforts to keep the peace process alive, saying the prize was a recognition of his life's work in trying to bring about reconciliation in the Middle East. "This prize is a recognition of your intrinsic qualities: for visionary strength, for pragmatism, for readiness to cooperate and -- last but not least -- for the ability to communicate," he told the king. The king said dialogue and understanding were the way forward in such a mission. "How can we sort out our problems if we never put ourselves in the place of those with whom we have problems?" he asked. He also welcomed the role of the United States and Europe in the peace process but stressed they had a supportive, rather than a dictatorial part to play. "We cannot accept a diktat from anyone, but we welcome help from our friends in the United States and Europe who can help us with their thoughts and suggestions and support," he said. He also called on all parties to continue the struggle against terrorism, saying those who reverted to violence were the enemies of peace. CHN Commentary 4-22-98 The Mid East March to Peace Optimism fills the air for the scheduled May 4 "peace talks" in London. As news of Blair's success of arranging for the meeting hit the headlines, Egyptian President Mubarak is on the phone inviting Bibi to breakfast next Tuesday in Egypt with the sole purpose of establishing the percentage of withdrawal in the West Bank to advance the process...... It is a given that without a positive outcome this time around King Hussein's dire warning will become a reality. So, Bibi said he didn't want to raise expectations,... "but then again we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world." The crux of the matter is to get to "final status issues", and to this end the ground work for this meeting seems securely in place. Our American envoy's, Ross and Indyk are arriving Friday in Israel. Their mission apparently is meant to produce agreements which Albright will be able to endorse. Bibi and Yasser are now voicing hopes of direct negotiations as the talks are taking on a greater urgency because U.S. officials indicated that their patience was running out and that they expected Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat to make difficult decisions this time around. It seems very likely that the process will be advanced, but to what extent..? God's word says that the Church is holding back the identity of the peacemaker/son of perdition, and until the Church is removed [Raptured] the peace won't come..... ......and the "substance and shadow" of God's method of operation in His word demonstrates that the Rapture has a 40 day warning sign of the "dead in Christ" rising on Firstfruits.......... .......so where does that leave us for this year's window...??? Any evidence yet of the "dead in Christ" rising....??? It sure would be nice.., but it's not our call...it's all in God's hands. For us, we'll keep "watching"......... Jesus is Lord !!!!!!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles.......... Jerusalem Post Wednesday, April 22, 1998 26 Nisan 5758 Mubarak invites Netanyahu for Cairo talks By JAY BUSHINSKY Key Statement: "....Netanyahu was optimistic about the London conclave. "The point is to make significant progress and move to the core issues to facilitate a final settlement," he said. ...." JERUSALEM (April 22) - Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation yesterday from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to join him at a working breakfast in Cairo next Tuesday for talks on the regional peace process as well as bilateral issues. Although the idea was broached a week ago by Mubarak during a telephone conversation with the prime minister, an official communiqué said, the newly-scheduled meetings in London on May 4 between Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright may have been the catalyst for the Israeli-Egyptian summit. This assumption not only is supported by Mubarak's recent expressions of concern about the current deadlock over the depth of an IDF pullback in the West Bank, but also by remarks made by his foreign minister, Amr Moussa, at the end of the Euro-Med Forum in Majorca. "If the London talks fail,' he reportedly said, "the threat of the peace process being considered expired would be great." With that in mind, Mubarak may hope to convince Netanyahu that it would be prudent and crucial for him to be forthcoming on the territorial issue when he goes to London. In any case, the Netanyahu-Mubarak dialogue is likely to coincide with the presence here of US peace envoy Dennis Ross and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Martin Indyk. Their mission, which begins Friday and may last well into next week, apparently is meant to produce agreements which Albright will be able to endorse. British Prime Minister Tony Blair would also be able to take personal as well as official satisfaction from any such progress. His current presidency of the European Union would be duly enhanced and the EU's status as a fellow-peacemaker alongside the US would be reinforced. "I'd like to emphasize once again that this is a process at which the US will be making various proposals," Blair said at the end of a working breakfast with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv yesterday. He said he did not want to compete with the Americans, but only to complement their peace initiative. The United Kingdom will "do whatever we can in whatever limited way to support the Mideast peace process." Netanyahu was optimistic about the London conclave. "The point is to make significant progress and move to the core issues to facilitate a final settlement," he said. However, he hedged about the prospect of a face-to-face meeting with Arafat under the aegis of Albright and Blair, saying: "There is no meeting planned between Yasser Arafat and myself, but there are the series of meetings you know about, so we'll take it from there." Netanyahu said he would not object to any kind of meeting. "But there has to be progress," he said. Blair sidestepped a question about his having referred to Arafat as "President Arafat." This title differed from that of "chairman" which is regularly used by Israel and the US. "We've really heard what I found quite a moving expression from your prime minister of the important issues at stake here," he said. "I think we should concentrate on those, really." Both leaders dealt in similar fashion with the expectations nurtured by a major international occasion like the one due to unfold in London. Netanyahu said he did not want to raise expectations, "but then again we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world." Taking his Israeli counterpart's cue, Blair added: "As the prime minister just said, if we can surprise ourselves... let's do so." Jordan Times 4-22-98 News Netanyahu ready to meet with Arafat in London Key Statement: "....Mr. Netanyahu said he didn't want to raise expectations, "but then again we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world." ...." TEL AVIV (AP) — Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he is ready to meet with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat during Mideast talks in London next month and suggested progress on a West Bank troop withdrawal was possible. Mr. Netanyahu said he didn’t want to raise expectations, “but then again we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world.” U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is to hold separate meetings in the British capital on May 4 with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat on the scope of an Israeli troop pullback. British Prime Minister Tony Blair will host Mr. Arafat and Mr. Netanyahu, also separately, to discuss the Palestinian airport and a Gaza industrial park whose openings have been delayed because of disagreements with Israel over security arrangements. Mr. Blair had breakfast with Mr. Netanyahu on Tuesday, wrapping up a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian areas during which he created the impression of new momentum in the stalled talks even though little actual progress was made. Ms. Albright has summoned Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat for separate meetings in the past, each time with expectations that those talks would lead to a summit. Mr. Arafat and Netanyahu last met in October. However, Mr. Blair appeared to have won the trust of both sides with his easy charm. A new player in the process, Mr. Blair also brought with him the prestige of having negotiated a power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland. The British leader said Tuesday he did not want to raise expectations, but that the London talks would be very important. “As the prime minister just said, if we can surprise ourselves...let’s do so,” he told a joint news conference. The talks also took on greater urgency because U.S. officials indicated that their patience was running out and that they expected Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat to make difficult decisions this time around. “The time is running out for these hard decisions to be made,” U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin said Tuesday. Mr. Rubin would not rule out that the United States would withdraw as mediator if the London talks ended inconclusively. The United States has proposed that Israel hand over 13.1 per cent of the West Bank in several stages over 12 weeks, with each pullback met by Palestinian security gestures. Mr. Netanyahu has said he would withdraw from no more than 9 per cent, but Israeli officials suggested Monday that Israel was willing to increase the offer to 11 per cent. Mr. Arafat has said he would “deal positively” with the U.S. initiative. The United States expects him to take a number of security measures, such as disarming Islamists. Both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Arafat said that if separate talks with Ms. Albright go well, they were willing to meet face to face. “There is no meeting planned between Yasser Arafat and myself. We’ll have a series of meetings that we have talked about there, and we will just take it from there,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “We will see what happens.” Mr. Arafat said Monday that he was also willing in principle to hold talks with Mr. Netanyahu, but that he would want Mr. Blair to participate in a summit, in addition to Ms. Albright. The Palestinians have long sought a more active European involvement in the negotiations, something the United States and Israel have been wary of. Mr. Blair reiterated Tuesday that he did not want to compete with the Americans, only to complement their peace initiative. The British would “do whatever we can in whatever limited way to support the Mideast peace process,” he said. Britain holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. CNN 22 April 1998 Web posted at: 06:07 GST, New York time (02:07 GMT) Israel cautious over Mideast talks Key Statement: "...."Then again, we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world," Netanyahu said, adding that he hoped to make "significant progress" on interim issues that would facilitate a final peace settlement...." JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel expressed caution Tuesday over chances for a breakthrough in U.S.-sponsored Middle East talks in London. The wary comments coincided with warnings that failure to end a year-long impasse with the Palestinians could destroy the peace process. Echoing remarks by Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, who flew home after a regional tour, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "I think (he) is wise to caution (against) raising expectations too high or indeed to raise them to levels that we might not be able to achieve. "Then again, we all want to be able to surprise ourselves and the world," Netanyahu said, adding that he hoped to make "significant progress" on interim issues that would facilitate a final peace settlement. In Palma de Majorca, Spain, Mediterranean foreign ministers gave a guarded welcome to the announcement Monday that Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would meet U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright separately in London on May 4. Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, speaking at the end of two days of talks in Majorca involving ministers from 11 European and North African countries, described the planned talks as the "moment of truth." "If London talks fail, the threat of the peace process being considered expired would be great," Moussa said at a news conference. The peace process has been stuck over the extent of a proposed Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank in return for Palestinian moves to combat Muslim militants. The United States is reported to have proposed a 13.1 percent withdrawal, which Israel has called unacceptable. A top Palestinian negotiator said the time had come for the United States to make its proposals public. "We all know that Mr Netanyahu's end-game is to waste time and to prevent the Americans from introducing their proposals publicly and officially," Saeb Erekat told Reuters in Gaza. "We hope that in the London meetings, Madam Albright will table her proposals immediately...it's the only way to revive the peace process," he said. The United States formally invited Netanyahu and Arafat to the London talks after both said they were ready to go to discuss new U.S. proposals. Blair held talks with Arafat in Gaza Monday. "There is no meeting planned between Yasser Arafat and myself but there are the series of meetings you know about, so we'll take it from there," Netanyahu said. "I have no objection to any kind of meeting." State Department spokesman James Rubin said Monday the purpose of the London talks would be to determine if U.S. peace proposals "can provide a basis for a breakthrough" leading to negotiations on the permanent status of self-rule areas. He said the United States was looking for the two sides to make hard decisions and did not rule out that Washington could break off mediation efforts if the London meetings proved as unsuccessful as other recent negotiating sessions had been. Nabil Abu Rdaineh, a top Arafat aide, said U.S. peace envoy Dennis Ross, due back in the region at the end of the week, should try to persuade Israel to accept the U.S. proposals to end the stalemate. Abu Rdaineh said Blair's visit to Gaza had marked a "turning point in the Palestinian-European relationship" but "regretfully, up to this point, Israel refuses any European role in the peace process." At a news conference with Blair Monday, Arafat said he wanted a clear role in the Middle East peace talks for the EU, a major financier of the Palestinian- governed territories. But Blair has stressed that Britain, president of the EU until July, did not want to "cut across" U.S. efforts. Blair said there would certainly be a role for Europe on economic issues, including the opening of a Gaza airport and an industrial zone in the area. Jordan Times 4-22-98 News Jordan, Turkey prepare for military exercises Key Statement: "....According to Petra the aim of the exercises is to "exchange experience, gain knowledge, develop training proficiency and get acquainted with the capabilities and new training methods of each other."...." AMMAN (Agencies) — Jordan and Turkey have exchanged troops for joint training as part of an effort to expand military cooperation, Jordan News Agency, Petra, said Tuesday. The agency said a company of Turkish troops arrived here Monday and a company of Jordanian troops left for Turkey for "joint exercises that the Jordanian Armed Forces conducts with armies in brotherly and friendly countries." Major General Tahseen Shurdum, chief of staff of the Jordanian Land Forces, deputized for Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mirai Kaabneh, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in seeing the troops who left for Turkey Monday and welcomed the Turkish company. According to Petra the aim of the exercises is to "exchange experience, gain knowledge, develop training proficiency and get acquainted with the capabilities and new training methods of each other." The agency did not provide other details, and military officials were not immediately available for comment CHN Commentary 4-21-98 The Mid East March to Peace Working in tandem with the US, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been successful in arranging for Madeline Albright to meet separately in London on May 4 with Netanyahu and Arafat. Bibi is expressing hope that "significant progress" can be made, and would welcome direct talks with Arafat if that were to occur. Arafat is pushing for a four way conversation with Albright, Blair, Bibi, and himself. News is now surfacing that King Hussein has been applying extreme pressure on Bibi and Arafat to move their peace efforts along 'pronto'. After his surprise meeting with Bibi last Thursday in Eliat, the King was very disgruntled with the outcome and sent Bibi a formal letter of complaint on Friday expressing the serious dire consequences for the whole region, and for Jordan particularly if progress isn't made immediately.... He reminded both parties that he has the most to lose [his kingdom], and he doesn't intend for that to happen. [Conversely, he also has the most to gain...prophetically speaking]. The pressure on the King has dramatically increased as Iraq and Syria have so overtly expressed their desire to form an alternative alliance of rogue Middle Eastern nations to supplant the West in running security on the Gulf, thereby regaining control of the power of the world's oil. It is also now surfacing that King Hussein is backing the Iraqi National Congress headed by Dr. Ahmed Chalabi to replace Saddam in Iraq. The King met with Dr. Chalabi in Washington on his recent visit, and subsequently lobbied Clinton for INC support. This is seen as a very courageous move on the King's part, and we can begin to see the makings of the "Little Horn" eventually sitting on his throne in Babylon. [CHN will be doing a "special report" on the INC in the near further] So, the scene now shifts to London and the May 4th meetings, as we continue to watch the intrigue of God's word come to pass. Regarding the Rapture occurring in this next window of opportunity, only one question need be answered......... has anyone seen or heard evidence of the "dead in Christ" rising..? We haven't.... ......but we'll keep "watching"..!!!! Luke 12:37 back up articles......... CNN April 20, 1998 Web posted at: 4:40 p.m. EDT (2040 GMT) U.S. to hold new talks with Arafat, Netanyahu May 4 meetings planned for London Key Statement: "We are looking for substantive decisions from the leaders, real decisions," State Department spokesman James Rubin said in announcing the latest attempt by the Clinton administration to break a stalemate between the two sides over Israeli withdrawal from a portion of the West Bank. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will meet separately in London on May 4 with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We are looking for substantive decisions from the leaders, real decisions," State Department spokesman James Rubin said in announcing the latest attempt by the Clinton administration to break a stalemate between the two sides over Israeli withdrawal from a portion of the West Bank. But indicating prospects for spurring Israel and the Palestinians to resume their negotiations over the West Bank were still bleak, the spokesman said "we are not aware there has been any substantive change" in their positions. Rubin said a three-way meeting was unlikely, but he did not rule one out. Other sources told CNN there are no plans for any kind of multi-lateral talks, and Albright plans to return to Washington May 5. Arafat seeking European Union role in talks British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the U.S. invitation to meet Arafat and Netanyahu in London during his visit to the Gaza Strip on Monday. Blair said the United States "has said or is going to say shortly they will invite both the president of the Palestinians and the government of Israel to bilateral meetings in London on May 4." But Arafat spoke of four-way talks, with the European Union, whose presidency is currently held by Britain, joining the United States and the Middle East parties. "We are seeking a four-way meeting. Our position has always been that the European Union must have a vital, effective role in this peace process," Arafat said at a joint news conference with Blair in Gaza. Blair, fresh from securing a peace deal in Northern Ireland, said Britain would not play any role in the talks that "cuts across the United States," the main mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The British leader said the talks would focus on U.S. proposals on ending the stalemate and that he hoped to meet with the parties to discuss economic issues. U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross failed last month to narrow wide differences between Netanyahu and Arafat over the proposals and is due back in the region late this week for more talks. Washington is proposing a staged Israeli troop withdrawal from more of the West Bank in exchange for reciprocal Palestinian steps to combat Muslim militants. Israel has called the reported U.S. proposal for a pullback from 13.1 percent of the West Bank unacceptable. Peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians broke down last year amid Jewish settlement-building in West Bank areas claimed by the Palestinians and suicide bombings in Israel by Palestinian militants. CNN April 21, 1998 Web posted at: 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT) Netanyahu expresses hope for 'progress' in London talks Key Statement: "We are seeking a four-way meeting. Our position has always been that the European Union must have a vital, effective role in this peace process," Arafat said at a joint news conference with Blair in Gaza. TEL AVIV, Israel (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he hoped to make "significant progress" in a round of Mideast peace talks planned for London next month. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will meet separately in London on May 4 with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Netanyahu. No direct talks are planned between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, but Netanyahu said he would have no objection to such a meeting. "There are the meetings you know about, so we'll take it from there," he said. "I have no objection to any kind of meeting." American officials also expressed hope for the talks. "We are looking for substantive decisions from the leaders -- real decisions," State Department spokesman James Rubin said Monday. But indicating that prospects for agreement between Israel and the Palestinians over the West Bank are still bleak, Rubin added that "we are not aware there has been any substantive change" in their positions. Arafat seeking European role in talks British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the U.S. invitation to meet Arafat and Netanyahu in London during his visit to the Gaza Strip on Monday. Blair said the United States "has said or is going to say shortly they will invite both the president of the Palestinians and the government of Israel to bilateral meetings in London on May 4." But Arafat spoke of four-way talks, with the European Union, whose presidency is currently held by Britain, joining the United States and the Middle East parties. "We are seeking a four-way meeting. Our position has always been that the European Union must have a vital, effective role in this peace process," Arafat said at a joint news conference with Blair in Gaza. Blair to deal with economic issues Blair said he would meet separately with Netanyahu and Arafat while they are in London. Albright will deal with the issue of Israeli troop withdrawals in the West Bank, while Blair said he will focus on economic and trade issues. Blair said that among the issues he hopes to address are the operation of a Palestinian airport and the opening of a Palestinian industrial park. Both projects have been delayed for years because of disagreements over security arrangements. "These two committees are very close to completion," Netanyahu said of the projects. "It would be, from our point of view, a very positive development if during the course of the London meetings we can bring them to a conclusion, or very close to that." U.S. officials gave no hint of a bigger European role in the peace talks, but they took no exception to Blair's involvement because he is a close ally of President Bill Clinton. "If, as a result of Prime Minister Blair's meetings in the region, the leaders are willing to make hard decisions they've been heretofore unwilling to make, that will be a good thing," Rubin said. But Blair said the Europeans don't want to upstage the Americans, particularly on the critical troop withdrawal issue. "We have made it clear all the way through that the United States should be in the lead," Blair said during the news conference with Arafat. U.S. envoy Ross due back in Mideast U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross failed last month to narrow wide differences between Netanyahu and Arafat and is due back in the region later this week for more talks. Washington is proposing a staged Israeli troop withdrawal from more of the West Bank in exchange for reciprocal Palestinian steps to combat Muslim militants. The talks are stuck over the extent of the troop pullback. The United States has reportedly proposed a 13 percent withdrawal, while Israel has offered less than 10 percent. Israeli officials said Monday that Netanyahu has softened his position and is willing to offer a pullback from 11 percent of the land. "As far as we're concerned, there still are very significant and difficult roadblocks to restarting the peace process," Rubin said. "Hopefully we'll be able to clear away some of those roadblocks in Secretary Albright's meetings in London." Albright, who last met Netanyahu and Arafat at the end of January, will visit London on her way home from a Far Eastern tour starting on Sunday. The London meetings are the latest move by the Clinton administration to jump-start talks between Israelis and Palestinians. The talks broke down last year amid construction of a Jewish housing project on the outskirts of Jerusalem and suicide bombings in Israel by Palestinian militants. JERUSALEM POST Monday, April 20, 1998 24 Nisan 5758 EDITORIAL: William Cohen's agenda Key Statement: "....This may have been a rational consideration at the time, but to paraphrase King Hussein, now there is a viable democratic alternative to Saddam. Given the existence of this alternative, supporting it should be considered a strategic and moral imperative...." (April 20) -- Though today's visit will be his first as US secretary of defense, William Cohen will be welcomed as somewhat of an old friend, as befits the representative of a close strategic partner. Regardless of the bumps in the diplomatic road, military relations between the United States and Israel have never been closer. Washington rightly recognizes that, besides being in America's strategic interest, the tight military ties with Israel provide a critical backdrop without which the peace process could not exist. Cohen's visit is part of a five-nation swing through the region, originally scheduled for last December. If there is a theme to it, it would seem to be the situation in Iraq, which may have left the headlines but not the concerns of the American defense establishment. In Turkey, Cohen visited the Incirlik air force base, from which over 50 US, Turkish, and British aircraft fly out daily to police the "no-fly" zone in northern Iraq. In Incirlik on Saturday, Cohen sent another volley in America's ongoing battle against the pressure to prematurely lift the sanctions against Saddam Hussein's regime, stating the Iraqi leader has "an obligation to show proof of where, when, how and under what circumstances the materials [to produce weapons of mass destruction] were destroyed ... Until he does that, there should be no lifting of the sanctions." The fact, however, that Cohen needs to make such statements shows that the fears of many following the latest UN-brokered deal with Iraq are becoming reality - Saddam has succeeded in shifting the international focus toward lifting sanctions. What Cohen may be hearing in capitals as disparate as Istanbul, Amman, Jerusalem and Cairo is that keeping a lot of firepower parked outside Iraq and relying on UN inspectors may buy time, but it does not constitute an effective policy. The bravest voice in this regard is that of Jordan's King Hussein, who, as a former supporter of Saddam and current neighbor, should be listened to closely. During a press briefing last month with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Hussein said, speaking of an Iraq freed from Saddam: "I visualize Iraq as a free country, as a democracy, as an example of pluralism ... I hope that the people of Iraq will be able to come together in dialogue to live in a democracy, which is on the way. That would ensure that Iraq can contribute a positive role to the future of the region. And we'll continue to work for that to the best of our ability." Backing his words with action the very next day, Hussein met with the leader of Iraq's democratic opposition, Iraqi National Congress President Ahmed Chalabi. Once again, King Hussein has demonstrated what it means to be a leader, in a region fraught with uncertainty. By contrast, official American support for Chalabi has been tepid at best. In an April 2 speech, all Albright could muster was: "We will explore ways to work more effectively with the Iraqi democratic opposition." One good way to start would be for President Bill Clinton to meet with Chalabi, thereby opening the door for other leaders in the region - who may not be quite as gutsy as King Hussein - to help the Iraqi National Congress. It is difficult to fathom why the US seems slavishly attached to a policy, built upon "containment" and UN inspections, that is doomed to failure. During the 1991 Gulf War, the Bush Administration clearly decided that it would evict Saddam from Kuwait, but was not interested in overthrowing him. Not only would this have been an expansion of the war's objective, but the US was worried about upsetting the regional power balance if post-Saddam Iraq were to break into pieces. This may have been a rational consideration at the time, but to paraphrase King Hussein, now there is a viable democratic alternative to Saddam. Given the existence of this alternative, supporting it should be considered a strategic and moral imperative. Much of Cohen's visit will concern the many joint programs that constitute the nuts and bolts of the military relationship. One major agenda item - funding for a third battery of Scud-busting Arrow missiles - is directly related to the missile threat from the east. Yet security against missile attacks, for example, cannot only be viewed from the narrow perspective of preparing military measures in self-defense. In the case of rogue regimes such as Iraq's, which have violated every international law and norm of civilized behavior, the first line of defense is to help the people of that nation to free themselves. JERUSALEM POST Tuesday, April 21, 1998 25 Nisan 5758 EDITORIAL: Shift to final status Key Statement: "....Wrapping up the interim steps envisaged at Oslo has become so difficult that the objective of the process has almost been forgotten: delivering the parties into final-status talks. Outside parties, such as the US and Europe, would do well to help shift the focus back to this overarching objective...." (April 21) - Sometimes a little pleasantness can go a long way. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is a novice at the Mideast peace process, but he may have succeeded in nudging things forward just a bit. It was not just the aura of the Northern Ireland agreement surrounding him, but his noncoercive approach. As opposed to other visitors who come wielding diplomatic cudgels, he wrote in this newspaper, "I am not coming here to apportion blame or take sides." In the past, Israel has resisted European involvement in the peace process, perhaps because it had all the subtlety of being beaten over the head with a stick. Yesterday a cabinet statement emphasized that, "Neither European mediation nor an international conference is in question." But Blair's visit seems to have ameliorated slightly Israel's historic aversion to European involvement. Britain only holds the European presidency from January to June, and got off on the wrong foot with Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's high-handed visit here last month. But Blair seems already to have repaired that damage, and made the idea of a May summit in London not only palatable, but attractive. At Sunday's joint press conference with Blair, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu seemed eager for such a summit, pledging to "go anywhere, anytime" to meet with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. By the next morning, excitement was rising about a four-way summit in London, including US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Netanyahu, Arafat, and Blair. Now it seems that talk of a summit was premature, since the Palestinians are dismissing the idea as a Netanyahu publicity stunt, devoid of substance. The Palestinian charge that Netanyahu is not interested in substance cuts both ways. If substance matters, not process, Arafat should share Netanyahu's enthusiasm for a summit to finally close the American-brokered deal. The outlines of the deal - and many of the details - are clear to both sides. Like the Gaza airport itself, the deal has been built up slowly, and is just waiting for the finishing touches to be put into place. Both sides know that the Israeli withdrawal will be from 10 to 13 percent of the West Bank, that the Palestinians will have to deliver substantially on compliance with their commitments under Oslo, and that the third redeployment will somehow be folded into the final-status talks. For months now, neither side has wanted to be seen as making the final concession under pressure. But now the differences have narrowed to just the point that summits were made to bridge. It can no longer be argued that the differences are too great for a summit to be worthwhile. So far, Arafat's declarations that he will redeclare Palestinian statehood in May 1999 - he first did so in 1988 - seem not to have affected Israel's plans to redeploy before then. But already voices on the right-wing are asking, why should Israel hand over more territory if Arafat has no intention of entering into final-status negotiations? Though Arafat might be tempted by the Ben-Gurion precedent of declaring a state before knowing what its final borders might be, it is hard to understand why such a step would be in the Palestinians' interest. Since Oslo requires that neither side change the legal status of the territory before final-status negotiations are concluded, the unilateral Palestinian declaration of a state would free Israel from its requirements under Oslo. The Palestinians might continue to claim more territory, but Israel, with or without formal annexation, would continue to control some 60 percent of the West Bank. Most unfortunate, the peace process would lose its negotiated framework, and the danger that de facto borders between Israel and the Palestinians would be determined through open warfare would grow. Though Israel might well retain more territory under these circumstances than in a negotiated settlement, neither side should wish for such a bloody outcome. It is in the interests of both sides to make the negotiation process work, and that means planning for its success rather than its failure. Israel's redeployment, therefore, should be designed to build momentum towards successful final-status talks, rather than minimized as a hedge against a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. But the Palestinians also have to demonstrate their commitment to the process by engaging in final-status negotiations immediately. Wrapping up the interim steps envisaged at Oslo has become so difficult that the objective of the process has almost been forgotten: delivering the parties into final-status talks. Outside parties, such as the US and Europe, would do well to help shift the focus back to this overarching objective. CHN Commentary 4-16-98 The Mid East March to Peace Surprise talks were held Thursday between King Hussein of Jordan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the southern Israel resort of Eilat where Bibi has been spending the Passover holidays. The unannounced talks followed telephone conversations on Monday and Tuesday between King Hussein and President Clinton. Moving the peace process forward was the thrust of all conversations. As previously announced, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and American Mid East envoy Dennis Ross are scheduled to arrive in the area Sunday. "We need to kick-start the process," Blair told the Cairo newspaper al-Ahram. Yasser Arafat couldn't agree more, and is "publicly" hoping Blair can influence Israel to cede more land for peace....... King Hussein and Netanyahu haven't met face to face since November, but the pace being set by the opposing "camps" [as reported in our previous commentary] have necessitated a "like" response from the "good guys"........ Meanwhile, Iran's naval games continue under the watchful eye of an American fighter jet and war vessel dispatched to collect info. Iran is condemning the move...... And now we learn that Tuesday, further north in the Gulf, US and British troops have joined Bahraini naval forces for a nine-day joint military exercise. And CNN is reporting that Iraq is growing restless again and wants her sanctions lifted because she is "complying", but the UN is reporting her further noncompliance, negating any lifting of sanctions. Bad news for Iraq......good news for prophetic fulfillment....... So, here we are again.......approaching what likely is the last few days of our "window of opportunity" for this year for the Rapture to occur, and prophetically speaking, all the "ducks are in a row" awaiting the removal of this "hindering force"..!! God is perfect and does things in a perfect way...........and the scene appears perfect too..... We'll keep "watching"....... Luke 12:37 back up articles........... Jordan Times 4-16-98 News King receives call from Clinton Key Statement: "....The conversation lasted about 10 minutes and followed a call the King made to President Clinton Monday evening, he added. No details were given on what the two said about the Mideast peace process...." HOUSTON (AFP) — U.S. President Bill Clinton spoke by telephone briefly with King Hussein Tuesday, the White House said. King Hussein praised President Clinton for his role in reaching an accord on Northern Ireland and for his recent trip to Africa, spokesman Joe Lockhart said. The conversation lasted about 10 minutes and followed a call the King made to President Clinton Monday evening, he added. No details were given on what the two said about the Mideast peace process. CNN 17 April 1998 Web posted at: 03:31 GST, New York time (23:31 GMT) Israel, Jordan meet over peace process Key Statement: ".... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and King Hussein of Jordan met for surprise talks Thursday on the stalled Middle East peace process, Israeli officials said...." JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and King Hussein of Jordan met for surprise talks Thursday on the stalled Middle East peace process, Israeli officials said. The previously unannounced meeting at a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Eilat, southern Israel, was the first between the two leaders since last November. It marked a further thaw in relations following severe strains last September over a botched attempt in Amman by Israeli Mossad secret service agents to kill a leading member of the Palestinian Islamic militant movement Hamas, Khaled Meshal. Netanyahu's spokesman Shai Bazak said the two hours of talks had focused on the peace process and bilateral relations. "Both sides expressed the importance that they attach to pushing the peace process forward," Bazak said. He said the leaders had also expressed satisfaction at the state of bilateral ties and agreed on unspecified "other steps to improve relations." Jordan's Petra news agency said Hussein "stressed the need to achieve progress on the Palestinian-Israeli track to activate the peace process and consolidate the confidence of the region's peoples." Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been deadlocked for more than a year over Jewish settlement building on occupied land, Hamas suicide bombings and differences over the terms and extent of an Israeli troop pullback from the West Bank. Thursday's talks in Eilat, where Netanyahu has been spending the Jewish Passover holiday, took place ahead of fresh U.S. and European Union attempts to revive the peace process. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, is due to visit Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian-ruled Gaza strip early next week. "We need to kick-start the process," Blair told the Cairo newspaper al-Ahram in an interview published Thursday ahead of his tour, which will include stops in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. President Clinton's Middle East envoy, Dennis Ross, also returns to Israel and the Palestinian Authority at the end of next week to try to narrow positions. Ross made a similar visit last month. U.S. officials said then that his talks had made some progress but had fallen well short of a breakthrough. Washington is seeking an Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank in return for new Palestinian commitments to crack down on violence by Hamas and other militant groups. Deep differences persist over how much land Israel should vacate and under what conditions. King Hussein arrived in Eilat by boat from the port of Aqaba, where the Jordanian cabinet had met earlier in the day. Bazak said he was accompanied to the meeting with Netanyahu by Jordan's Prime Minister Abdul-Salam al-Majali and the head of the Jordanian royal court, Fayez al-Tarawnah. Israel's Channel One television showed footage of newly appointed Mossad head Efraim Halevy accompanying the Israeli delegation. Halevy replaced Danny Yatom as Mossad head earlier this month, after he resigned in February. Jordan had insisted Yatom leave the agency for supervising the failed assassination attempt on Meshal. Netanyahu and King Hussein last met Nov. 19, when they held talks near London to mend fences over the Meshal affair. Israel was forced to free dozens of Palestinian prisoners, including the Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in return for the release by Jordan of two Mossad agents caught trying to kill Meshal. Jordan, Israel's friendliest Arab neighbor and partner to a 1994 peace treaty, also suspended security ties with Israel over the assassination attempt. Jordan Times 4-16-98 News Palestinians hope Blair can work N. Ireland magic with Israel GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Palestinians are hoping that British Prime Minister Tony Blair can work the same magic in Middle East negotiations as he did in Northern Ireland by pressuring Israel to make concessions for peace. But unlike in Northern Ireland, Mr. Blair must take a backseat in the Middle East to the United States, which has been reluctant to override Israeli objections and put forward a package proposal to break the year-long deadlock in negotiations. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat welcomed the Northern Ireland peace deal and said he hoped that Mr. Blair, who arrives in the region on Thursday, “will equally succeed in establishing the peace with Israel.” However, top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat acknowledged that the Palestinians are “realistic.” “We don’t expect Blair to be able to solve everything,” he said. The Palestinians hope in particular that Mr. Blair, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), can promote a package peace proposal that the United States has so far balked at officially putting on the table. “The essential thing is the American proposals. Blair should urge the Americans to go public with their plans and should pressure Israel to abide by its agreements,” especially concerning overdue troop withdrawals in the West Bank, Mr. Erekat said. The Palestinians have expressed fears that Washington is backing away from their proposals, which reportedly would press Israel to cede 13 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian control as the first step towards reviving negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has tried to prevent the United States from announcing the package, saying the 13 per cent scope is too large and instead offering a pullback of around nine per cent. The same week as Mr. Blair’s visit, U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross is expected to return to the region for the second time in a month in a new bid to find a compromise formula for the package. Faced with the deadlock on the central issue of the troop withdrawals, Mr. Blair may focus instead on trying to clinch a deal on side issues which have remained unimplemented since 1995 self-rule accords, an EU diplomat said. EU and Israeli officials say a deal is within reach on these so-called “interim peace issues,” which include the opening of an airport and seaport and of a joint Israeli-Palestinian industrial zone in Palestinian-run Gaza. EU officials said a push from Mr. Blair could in particular finalize an agreement for the industrial zone, planned for the Karni crossing point between Gaza and Israel. The key to meeting Israel’s security concerns and sealing an agreement could be an EU financed, Germany-produced scanner system capable of quickly checking cargo trucks entering Israel from the zone for weapons or explosives, EU officials said. While only a detail of the broader peace process, agreement on Karni would represent the first concrete achievement in the peace talks for more than 14 months. Mr. Blair will also sign with Mr. Arafat an agreement creating a Palestinian-EU commission on security issues, part of European efforts to meet Israeli demands that the Palestinians conduct a stiff crackdown against Islamists. Meanwhile, the Palestinians hope the energetic Mr. Blair, fresh off his victory in Northern Ireland, will sound a moral call to Mr. Netanyahu, who the Palestinians increasingly feel simply has no interest in advancing the peace process. “Blair must teach Netanyahu the lessons of history. We hope Blair will tell Netanyahu to look forward and not backwards,” Mr. Erekat said. “While Blair is decisively putting all his weight behind stopping bloodshed, Netanyahu is building a future of bigotry, hatred and violence. He is creating another Northern Ireland here,” he said. CNN Networks Egypt, Syria demand Israel's no-strings withdrawal from Lebanon April 15, 1998 Web posted at: 6:09 p.m. EDT (2209 GMT) CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) - The presidents of Egypt and Syria demanded Wednesday that Israel withdraw unconditionally from southern Lebanon. At a news conference after a lengthy, unannounced meeting, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syria's Hafez al-Assad said Israel should leave the southern strip of Lebanon it occupies without expecting anything in return. "They (Israel) entered Lebanon without permission so they can get out of Lebanon without permission," Mubarak said. "If Israel is going to withdraw (from southern Lebanon) in accordance with (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 425, I think no one will object. But neither Syria nor Lebanon will accept that it be negotiated." "Israel has to just withdraw from Lebanon," said Assad, whose country is the main power broker in Lebanon. "The Israelis entered Lebanon, so they can get out of it." Mubarak and Assad were responding to a proposal, endorsed by Israel's inner Cabinet last month, to implement the U.N. resolution, which calls for Israeli troops to leave southern Lebanon. But the Israelis want guarantees that their security will be maintained if they withdraw. Israel claims that the strip of Lebanon it holds is a security zone that protects it from Lebanese militants. But Syria and Lebanon say that Resolution 425 demands an unconditional withdrawal, and they regard Israel's initiative as an attempt to sabotage wider Middle East peace efforts. Syria, Egypt blame Netanyahu Israeli-Palestinian talks have been stalled for more than a year amid disputes over how to implement past agreements on redeployment and security. Negotiations with Syria and Lebanon over Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon broke off two years ago. "The issue of security is expansive and they (Israelis) can use it as a justification for not implementing the agreements they have reached," Mubarak said. Syria and Egypt blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for derailing peace moves since he came to power in June 1996 by failing to honor the land-for-peace agreement that was the centerpiece of the peace initiative launched in Madrid in 1991. Mubarak criticized Netanyahu Wednesday for saying the Palestinian Authority must detain militants and crack down on "terrorism" before Israel withdraws from occupied Palestinian lands. "The peace process must not be linked to the arrest of (Palestinian) leaders of the Islamist movement," he said. "It may take two centuries before such a demand is met." Mubarak often consults with Arab and Palestinian leaders on Middle East peace efforts. Assad visited Egypt last September, and Mubarak paid a return visit to the Syrian capital in January. After talks in Damascus Monday, Assad and his Lebanese counterpart Elias Hrawi renewed their rejection of Israel's withdrawal offer and expressed readiness to resume peace talks with Israel at the point where they left off in January 1996. Lebanese leader to visit Cairo The Lebanese-Syrian meeting, the third in a month, followed a letter from the U.S. administration to the Lebanese government urging it to study the Israeli offer seriously. Egyptian newspapers said Wednesday that Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was due to visit Egypt next week. The Egyptian government has said it would back Lebanon's stance on the Israeli proposal. The French government weighed in with its opinion Tuesday, saying it, too, believes Israel should unconditionally withdraw from southern Lebanon. After meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Faris Bouez in Paris, French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said, "The (Israeli) proposal was not viable because it sets conditions that are not in the United Nations' resolution." CNN Iran says U.S. watching its war-games in Gulf 16 April 1998 Web posted at: 03:23 GST, New York time (23:23 GMT) TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) - Iran Wednesday denounced U.S. forces in the Gulf, which it said were monitoring Iranian naval exercises in the waterway. Captain Abdollah Manavi, spokesman for the exercises, "condemned the move of an American fighter jet and a vessel to collect information as well as monitor contacts among the participating units in... the war-game," the Iranian news agency IRNA said. Manavi said Iran's navy had taken "tactical measures" to foil U.S. monitoring of the nine-day exercises which began on Sunday, according to Tehran radio. He did not say what the measures were. The exercises are being held in an area stretching from the mouth of the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Further north in the Gulf, U.S. and British troops have joined Bahraini naval forces for a nine-day joint military exercise which began Tuesday, Bahraini newspapers said. The U.S. Fifth Fleet, with two aircraft carriers, two cruisers and other warships, is based in the region. Iran's "Ettehad" (Unity) exercises are the first in which it has operated its three Russian-built Kilo class diesel submarines together. It was also using two frigates, two personnel carrier vessels, two logistics vessels, and 15,000 naval and air force personnel in the exercises. Manavi said the war-games included the frigate Sabalan, which was badly damaged by U.S. forces during clashes with the Iranian navy in 1988. Its sister ship was sunk in those clashes, while the Sabalan was repaired and relaunched in 1990. Iranian navy officials have criticized the U.S. military presence in the Gulf region and said the code name of the exercises indicated Iran's willingness to cooperate with its Gulf Arab neighbors. Iran's regional ties have often been tense, in part over differences concerning the presence of Western forces in the Gulf and a dispute with the United Arab Emirates over three Gulf islands. CNN 17 April 1998 Web posted at: 03:32 GST, New York time (23:32 GMT) Iraq calls for end to sanctions, raising threat of new crisis Key Statement: "....The official Iraqi News Agency said following a meeting chaired by Saddam, the ruling council declared that those who oppose ending the embargo "would bear the responsibility of the future crisis and what comes to hurt our people."...." UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Raising the threat of a new crisis with the United Nations, Iraq urged Security Council on Thursday to lift economic sanctions when it meets later this month to review the status of Baghdad's weapons program. But U.N. officials said there was little chance the council will do so when it meets, possibly the week of April 27. The U.N. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said weapons inspectors will tell the council that they cannot confirm Iraq's claims that it has destroyed all long-range missiles and mass destruction weapons. Inspectors also will tell the council that because of the standoff over inspections last year, U.N. teams have made "virtually no progress" in verifying Iraqi disarmament, the officials said. That is the main condition for the council to lift the sanctions imposed in 1990 after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's troops invaded Kuwait, triggering the 1991 Persian Gulf War. In Baghdad, however, the Revolution Command Council declared Thursday that "the time has come for the discussion of the embargo at the end of April." The talks should begin the process of lifting the sanctions "immediately and without delay." The official Iraqi News Agency said following a meeting chaired by Saddam, the ruling council declared that those who oppose ending the embargo "would bear the responsibility of the future crisis and what comes to hurt our people." On Feb. 23, Secretary-General Kofi Annan signed an agreement with the Iraqis in which they agreed to open all sites including Saddam's eight presidential compounds to the weapons inspectors. The agreement averted a threatened U.S.-British military strike to force Iraq to grant unrestricted access. Iraq then allowed a U.N. team to visit all eight presidential compounds. On Wednesday, the inspectors said they found no banned materials in the palaces. They quoted Iraqi Lt. Gen. Amr Rasheed as saying Iraq did not believe it had agreed to unlimited and repeated visits by the inspectors. Annan told reporters Thursday that the Iraqis had clearly agreed to allow the inspectors "to go in again and go back again" as often as they believed necessary. Annan said those terms were accepted by Iraq during negotiations with Saddam himself and signed by deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz. "I would hope that if there's going to be a change in policy, it will come from that level and the same source," he said. The U.N. Special Commission, which performs the weapons inspections, submitted a report to Annan on Thursday outlining the status of Iraqi compliance over the last six months. The report, which will be forwarded to the 15 Security Council members, has not been released. But U.N. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it would conclude that Iraq has not provided adequate evidence that it has destroyed all banned weapons. Officials said the Iraqis have still provided little information on its suspected biological weapons program, which Baghdad only acknowledged four years after the inspections began in 1991. Despite the embargo, Iraq has been allowed to export $2.14 billion worth of oil every six months to buy food and medicine. The Security Council voted to increase that to $5.26 billion in June. But a team of experts working for the United Nations said Thursday that Iraq's petroleum industry is in such a "deplorable state" that it cannot meet the higher target. The team, from the Dutch oil firm Saybol, said Iraq probably could not even produce the $4 billion of oil it had estimated. The experts said Iraq's refineries and production facilities were in poor condition due to lack of spare parts, "significant pollution" and environmental damage. Annan told the Security Council that Iraq needed about $300 million worth of spare parts and equipment to upgrade its oil facilities, and urged diplomats to authorize their purchase. CHN Commentary 4-14-98 The Mid East March to Peace The "courtship" of Saudi Arabia by the separate "camps" trying to influence the balance of power in the Middle East has taken center stage in what appears to be an 'all out' effort to gain the upper hand at this crucial time in the peace negotiations....... The main intention of the "courtship" is to convince the Saudi's to break free from their American strangle hold. As previously reported, Iran has presented the Saudi's with their plan, and they are now in day four of a nine day live ammunition naval exercise in the Gulf code named "Unity". This is Iran's attempt to show the Saudi's that their two Muslim Nations can run security on the Gulf...with no American presence needed. Iraq has countered this by inviting Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to a conference to discuss an all Arab alliance for the same purpose. Saddam intentionally left out inviting Jordan, full well knowing that the King "is" America's man on the scene; therefore, the enemy....... Jordan counters this by announcing that there is no use in holding any Arab Summit at this time if there can not be assurances going in that a unified Arab stand can be had on the main question of the Israeli/Palestinian peace track. Jordan also denies that she wasn't invited to Saddam's party. In the mean time, Israel is standing in the wings watching how Arafat is pursuing their agreed upon goal of eliminating his terrorist factions, and is applauding what it sees so far in the arrest of upwards of 300 Hamas activists. The contention being, that if you want statehood, then you must be in control of your territory....like Egypt and Jordan are....!! So, the flurry of high stakes diplomacy is in high gear, and it is either forcing out a solution, or forcing it's retreat at this time. There is no doubt that the scene remains "prophetically perfect" for the solution to occur at this time if the "window" is still open for the 'hindering force' to be removed... God is in control, and we will remain vigilant and faithful to our ''watching'' ....... Luke 12:37 ....back up articles New York Times April 12, 1998 Saudis Make Nice With Iranians By Elaine Sciolino Key Statement: "....Saudi Arabia's close relationship with America and the large U.S. military presence in the gulf have created friction between the Saudis and the Iranians. Pentagon planners wonder whether the two countries could eventually reach an understanding on dictating limits on the U.S. military presence...." WASHINGTON -- For half a century, the Persian Gulf has held a crucial place in U.S. policy-making. Repeatedly, its oil and its leaders have drawn the United States into its sometimes deadly games, even as its rivalries and intrigues have confounded U.S. strategy. So the United States can end up preoccupied with the smallest events, on the assumption that they may be the prelude to something big. This is one of those times. Saudi Arabia, America's closest ally in the Persian Gulf, and Iran, one of Washington's most bitter foes, have been busy trying to charm each other. Nobody in Washington thinks the basic relationships among the three countries have shifted. But U.S. officials are taking notice, aware that even subtle atmospheric changes can have far-reaching psychological effects in the Middle East. In the two decades since Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini fomented Iran's revolution, the Saudis and Iranians have never been particularly close. Khomeini asserted that all the gulf Arab monarchies -- including Saudi Arabia -- were illegitimate. Even in death, he spewed venom against the Saudis. His last will and testament called for the public cursing of the Saudi royal family for "treachery" against the House of God. Since then, Saudi Arabia and Iran have moved slowly -- very slowly -- to shape a more normal relationship. That effort accelerated late last year, when Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah met Iranian President Mohammed Khatami in Tehran at the summit of Islamic countries. After two meetings, the Iranian cleric and the Saudi prince gave signals that they had, in a manner of speaking, bonded. This "is the start of a new era in relations between the two big countries of the region," Khatami told Abdullah. "I truly feel that I am in my own country," the crown prince replied. The feel-good encounters were followed by a pilgrimage by former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to Mecca in March. The pilgrimage was a kind of dry run for Khatami, who has now been invited to visit Saudi Arabia. These days, there are no more rumblings from the kingdom that Iran might have been involved in the terrorist bombing of an apartment building in Saudi Arabia in 1996 that left 19 U.S. servicemen dead. In fact, Saudi Arabia announced last month that it would allow its national airline to fly in and out of Tehran for the first time since shortly after the revolution. So the question in Washington is: What's up? It's not that the Saudis no longer feel a threat from Iran. They do. They have no illusion that Iran has abandoned its long-term goal of dominance in the gulf. And in the strict religious tradition of the Wahabi branch of Islam that dominates Saudi Arabia, Iran's Shiites come close to being apostates. But the Saudis also want to get along. It takes only 15 minutes for a fighter jet from Iran's southern port of Bushehr to reach Saudi Arabia's northern oil fields. Saudi Arabia has serious problems with its own restless Shiites. The two countries are OPEC's largest oil producers, and a coordinated oil policy is in the interests of both. And gestures of reconciliation further isolate their mutual enemy of the moment, Iraq. So Abdullah has little reason to ignore an Iranian leader who preaches a desire to reach out and touch his neighbors. "Does all this mean that the Saudis trust the Iranians or that the Iranians trust the Saudis?" asked Anthony Cordesman, the military analyst and author. "Hell, no. The basic power structure of the gulf is a constant balancing and rebalancing act. They are trying to exploit opportunities and jockey for power. It's basic balance-of-power politics." And that is where the U.S. anxiety comes in, because the United States is a crucial player in the balancing act. Saudi Arabia's close relationship with America and the large U.S. military presence in the gulf have created friction between the Saudis and the Iranians. Pentagon planners wonder whether the two countries could eventually reach an understanding on dictating limits on the U.S. military presence. The stability of the Saudi kingdom is of so much concern to the United States that since the bombing of the military housing, a special task force of analysts has been studying the kingdom under the same rigorous process used to assess the most serious potential threats to U.S. national security. The Saudis who hold power now are not about to walk away from the United States, of course. It's just that the relationship is a lot more difficult than when King Fahd was in good health, in charge and eager to please the United States. Crown Prince Abdullah, who is running the country on a day-to-day basis, simply isn't as likely as his brother the king to say yes every time the United States asks for something. When Defense Secretary William Cohen visited in February in a vain effort to win support for possible military action against Iraq, Crown Prince Abdullah simply made himself unavailable. Prince Sultan, the defense minister, stood in. A week later, the crown prince did turn up for a meeting with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Ever-protective of his boss, State Department spokesman James Rubin said she found the encounter "fascinating"; other officials described it as a stern lecture by Abdullah on the failings of U.S. policy in the Middle East, followed by an equally stern defense by Ms. Albright. The Iranians, meanwhile, are not about to embrace the United States. They have been demanding for two decades that the U.S. military leave the gulf, and that is not likely to change. But already the Saudis have urged the Clinton administration to help along Iran's new president and have offered to mediate. One thought remains profoundly comforting to the policy planners in Washington. Whatever else is going on between Saudi Arabia and Iran, trust is not part of the equation. Crown Prince Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain, one of Saudi Arabia's close neighbors, shared a joke recently with a senior U.S. official visiting the sheikdom. In Iran, he said, "You have three people in charge: You have Khamenei, and he is in charge of religion and terrorism," referring to Iran's ruling spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "You have Rafsanjani, and he is in charge of business and terrorism. And you have Khatami, and he is in charge of internal politics, moderation and terrorism." Global Intelligence Update Red Alert April 13, 1998 Iran Announces Major Naval Exercise Key Statement: "....All of this is designed to give the Saudis food for thought in the coming weeks, as their diplomacy with Iran moves into high gear, and as alternatives to that diplomacy are generated by Egypt, Jordan and the United States...." The Iranian news agency, IRNA, is reporting that the Iranians began a major naval exercise on Sunday. Named Ettehad, or Unity, the exercise is the largest and most complex ever undertaken by the Iranian Navy. The exercise will center on three Russian manufactured Kilo Class submarines, the Tareq, Nouh and Younes. Also participating in the war game will be two destroyers, the Sabalan and Alborz, two frigates, two troop carriers, two supply ships, several smaller craft, three helicopters, three F-4 Phantom jets and a reconnaissance aircraft. There will be 15,000 personnel participating, including a frogmen unit. The exercise, which will consist of three phases staged over nine days, will take place both within the Persian Gulf and in the Oman Sea, bracketing the Straits of Hormuz. According to Admiral Abbas Mohtaj, commander of the Iranian Navy, the purpose of the exercise will be to practice night refueling for vessels, air control procedures, air defense and electronic warfare. In looking at the warships involved, it is clear that an additional element is being tested: amphibious warfare including special naval operations. Obviously, the Kilo Class submarines will be practicing interdiction tactics in order to demonstrate their ability to threaten U.S. warships and to close the Straits of Hormuz, through which Persian Gulf oil flows. However, it is clear that one mission they will be practicing is the landing of amphibious forces, an operation in which the submarines would be used to screen the amphibious force from enemy warships. They would also practice coordinating air control and defense to establish air superiority over the beachhead. It strikes us as interesting that the Iranians have chosen to release such a detailed list of participating vessels as well as a list of missions to be practiced. The presence of troop carriers in the fleet and the explicit mention of frogmen clearly indicate that amphibious warfare is being practiced. Thus, while the Iranians are emphasizing that the purpose of the mission is to demonstrate their ability to project force against foreign forces (read U.S. forces), they are also clearly signaling their interest and ability in carrying out operations that threaten the security of their neighbors. The Iranians have emphasized that these war games have been named Unity in order to signal Iranian interest in forging closer ties with other Islamic nations in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea littoral. Indeed, these war games are taking place in the context of intense diplomatic activity in the region, focusing on an extensive exchange of visits between Iranian and Saudi Arabian officials. The Iranian interior minister just completed a visit to Saudi Arabia; senior Saudi officials are expected in Tehran this week; and a visit to Saudi Arabia by President Khatami of Iran is also anticipated. We have maintained for a while that Iran is interested in creating a regional security system designed for two purposes. First, they wish to force the United States out of the Persian Gulf. Second, they want regional support for a reversal of the outcome of their war with Iraq. Of late, the Iranians have been working very hard to convince regional powers that they wish to improve their relations with Iraq. This has included an exchange of prisoners, exchange of holiday greetings and a willingness to allow the Russians to mediate between the two countries. However, at the same time as the exercise was launched, the Iranians pointed out that there were two things they wished from Iraq in order to continue the process of confidence building. These were that the Iraqis allow Iranians to visit holy sites in Iraq, and that the Iraqis hand over the leaders of anti- Iranian guerillas being held by Baghdad. The former would permit Iranian agents to roam over Iraq while the latter would require that Iraq give away a key asset in its confrontation with Iran simply to increase Iran's confidence. Thus, the Iranians are trying to appear accommodating in order to demonstrate to Saudi Arabia that they are not the source of tension with Iraq. Simultaneously, their demands on Iraq, while appearing absolutely reasonable, are designed to kill the deal. Thus, we believe that these exercises have a serious military purpose in mind: to practice the sorts of amphibious and special operations that would be required in the event of an attempt by Iran to retake territory lost to Iraq. They also have a political purpose: to demonstrate to Saudi Arabia and others in the region the Iranians' growing military capability and to show non-Iraqi, Arab states in the region that dealing with Iran now would be a rational decision. There is also an implicit threat here. The Iranians are demonstrating their ability to close the Straits of Hormuz and cut the flow of Persian Gulf oil. All of this is designed to give the Saudis food for thought in the coming weeks, as their diplomacy with Iran moves into high gear, and as alternatives to that diplomacy are generated by Egypt, Jordan and the United States. One other thing is giving the Saudis food for thought: a major political crisis has blown up inside Iran over the arrest of Tehran's mayor against the wishes of President Khatami. Apparently carried out by conservative supporters of the Ayatollah Khamenei, the affair has deeply divided the Iranian government and, if not rapidly contained, could undermine President Khatami's position and destroy his brilliant and subtle diplomatic maneuvering. And that would, of course, make the Iranian Navy's muscle flexing quite pointless. CNN 11 April 1998 Web posted at: 01:46 GST, New York time (21:46 GMT) Iran minister says ties with Saudi set to expand Key Statement: "....Iran said last week Khatami would visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah and that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal would visit Iran soon...." TEHRAN, April 10 (Reuters) - Iranian Interior Minister Abdollah Nouri said on Friday his country's relations with Saudi Arabia were "very good" and getting better, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported. "Nouri...stated that (Saudi Arabian) King Fahd asked for promotion of relations in political, cultural, social, technological and religious areas," the agency said after Nouri's return from Saudi Arabia. He said relations were presently "very good, and...on an upward trend of growth." Nouri's visit, his first to Saudi Arabia, was the latest by several senior Iranian officials since a thaw in ties after the election last year of moderate President Mohammad Khatami. Saudi-Iranian ties soured after Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini toppled the pro-Western shah in 1979. Iran's staging of anti-U.S. rallies during haj, the largest annual Moslem gathering in Saudi Arabia, led to further tensions between the two regional heavyweights. In 1987, 402 people, mostly Iranians died in clashes with Saudi security forces at an Iranian-led rally. Iran boycotted the haj for three years as a result. But Iranian officials were more conciliatory this year. As in the past few years, the rally was held earlier this week at an Iranian haj compound and Saudi authorities did not intervene. Iran said last week Khatami would visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah and that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal would visit Iran soon. JERUSALEM POST Monday, April 13, 1998 17 Nisan 5758 Opinion Are they ready for peace? Key Statement: "....If Arafat is too weak to fight against Islamic extremism like Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak or Jordan's King Hussein, he cannot demand that Israel treat him like a head of a centralized state which can negotiate peace treaties...." By Efraim Inbar (April 13) - Even though it quickly became clear that Israeli agents were not involved in the killing of Hamas terrorist Muhi Sharif last month, the state of alert declared by Israeli security forces to prevent a terrorist attack on Israeli civilians was not cancelled. The Hamas leaders in the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority continue to promise revenge, i.e. Israeli casualties. The main question hovering in the air is not whether they will be successful and more Israelis will pay with their lives to fulfill the chimera of several blood-thirsty radical Islamists. At stake is not whether Israel can live in the shadow of terrorism. Israel has survived terrorist attacks in the past. It can and should pay the costly price of being subject to terrorist attacks if this leads to an improvement of Israel's overall strategic situation and to better relations with our neighbors. Palestinian terrorism has always been a strategic nuisance and it is not a serious security challenge to Israel. What is at stake is whether the Palestinians in the territories are really ready for peace with Israel. Since Oslo, Palestinian terrorism has become a litmus test for our relations with the Palestinians, our closest neighbors. Despite their solemn promises of September 1993, Yasser Arafat and the PA leadership have failed to distance themselves unequivocally from acts of violence against Israel. The Hamas terrorist infrastructure has remained intact. The organization's weapons were not confiscated; there is only a ban on displaying them in public. Hamas still has an undisturbed recruitment apparatus and training bases, as well as a network of workshops to produce explosives and bombs of various kinds. The inflammatory calls for armed Jihad against the Jewish state never ceased. Moreover, PA officials participate in the funerals of terrorists and even eulogize them. The PA tolerates within the territory under its jurisdiction the existence of armed militias, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, violently opposed to the peace process and even to the existence of the State of Israel. The PA's friends in Israel and abroad constantly tell us that we must show understanding for Arafat's domestic constraints and/or weakness. Yet this is precisely why we must also question Arafat's suitability as a partner in a peace process: The reluctance to enter into an armed struggle against fellow Palestinians - and possibly a civil war - is natural. The fear that he would lose popularity by trying to eradicate the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas and Islamic Jihad is also understandable. What is not reasonable is to expect Israel to tolerate the emergence of a Palestinian entity next to it which resembles a militia-torn Lebanon. Arafat has not yet passed the test of any modern state - the establishment of a political entity which has a full monopoly over the bodies that use force. If Arafat is too weak to fight against Islamic extremism like Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak or Jordan's King Hussein, he cannot demand that Israel treat him like a head of a centralized state which can negotiate peace treaties. If he cannot deliver what he promises because he is weak or inept at ruling unruly Palestinians, he is not an appropriate partner for making agreements with us. Unfortunately for the Palestinians, as well as for the Israelis, it seems doubtful whether Palestinian society has produced a leadership that can say openly to its people that it favors peace and opposes violence against Israel - and would vigorously implement this policy. The alternative explanation of Arafat's inaction against the terrorist cells of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad is even more disturbing: Some experts claim that he is not weak, because he has enough muscle at his disposal (approximately 40,000 soldiers), as well as political capital to deal with the terrorist infrastructure, but he occasionally lacks the will to do so. Bleeding Israel through terror is part of his negotiating tactic, just as Syrian President Hafez Assad is using the Hizbullah in Lebanon. But Assad never sent a letter to Rabin promising to stop the violence against Israelis and to disarm the militias. We should not expect all promises to be kept, but we should make sure that if commitments on vital matters to Israel are violated, they are corrected to our satisfaction, or their violators are punished. Otherwise, there is no reason to stick to agreements signed with Israel. Additional concessions to an Arafat who has not yet internalized this simple matter is a recipe for more violations. Disarming hostile militias on our border is an Israeli vital interest and a test of the intentions and capabilities of the emerging Palestinian entity. If the PA is unable or unwilling to deal with those who violently try to derail the peace process, the negotiations are doomed to failure. We may have no choice but to wait for the emergence of a new Palestinian leadership - one committed to coexistence with Israel and ready to suppress those Palestinians intent on destroying the Jewish state. Jordan Times 4-14-98 News Ensour: Mini Arab summit is pointless at this time By Tareq Ayyoub Key Statement: "....Dr. Ensour ruled out news reports that efforts were being exerted to hold an Arab summit without Jordan's presence and described such reports as "unrealistic and incorrect."...." "....Responding to a question on whether the Kingdom was planning to mediate in the dispute between the two sides during a visit by the spiritual leader of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, to Jordan this week, Dr. Ensour said that Jordan was not part of the row and does not want to be involved...." "....The official, who described the Hamas leader as a "freedom fighter," said that Sheikh Yassin was welcome in Jordan. He did not rule out a meeting between The Hamas leader and His Majesty King Hussein...." AMMAN — Jordan on Saturday said that holding a mini Arab summit at this time is pointless and unnecessary. Speaking to reporters following the weekly cabinet session, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said that no invitation was extended to convene an Arab summit called for by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian leader called on the 22-member Arab League to hold an urgent session to discuss the deadlock in the peace process and Israel's refusal to implement agreements signed with the Palestinians. News agencies reported that Syria was planning to invite Egypt and Saudi Arabia to hold a three-party mini-summit to discuss the stalled peace process. Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid was quoted as saying that it was up to the Arab leaders to convene a summit, but not the league. Dr. Ensour ruled out news reports that efforts were being exerted to hold an Arab summit without Jordan's presence and described such reports as "unrealistic and incorrect." "Until this moment, there are no invitations to hold this summit... there was a belief that such a summit was useless and not necessary at this stage," Dr. Ensour said. The deputy prime minister called upon Israel to accept U.S. proposals to make a "sizeable" pullout from the West Bank. He was referring to a proposal brought to the concerned parties by U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross. Last month, Mr. Ross ended an unsuccessful visit to the region where he shuttled between Israel and the Palestinian self-rule areas to convince the Israelis and Palestinians to resume negotiations. "I would say that they [the Palestinians] have accepted these proposals in general... but they want to see more progress. It is time for the Israelis to respond to these proposals," Dr. Ensour said. He added that the Kingdom hopes that the scheduled visit of Mr. Ross next week would help narrow the gap between the Palestinians and Israelis. Dr. Ensour described Mr. Ross' forthcoming visit as "crucial and important" to peace making between the two sides. The official also described an expected visit by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the region as a "very important" trip that comes in line with the collective efforts to revive the peace process. Mr. Blair plans to start a regional tour that would take him to Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian self-rule areas on April 19, the first such visit since the Labour Party's come-back to power in 1997. Meanwhile, Dr. Ensour declined to comment on the row between the PNA and the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, following the PNA's report that the killing of a Hamas leader in the West Bank came as a result of an internal feud. |
