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Israel, Palestinians miss another peace deadline |
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May 15, 2000
JERUSALEM, MAY 14 (AP) - Israeli soldiers clashed with Palestinian protesters for a second day Saturday as the Palestinian leadership accused Israel of making peace negotiators miss another deadline for the outlines of a final treaty.
The Palestinian demonstrations to demand the release of some 1,600 jailed Palestinians were to continue Sunday even as negotiators were scheduled to meet in Jerusalem to discuss the issue.
In the town of Tulkarem, about 300 Palestinians threw stones at Israeli soldiers who responded with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Hospital officials said about 40 Palestinians were injured, some from gunshot wounds.
The Israeli army denied that live ammunition was used in any of the disturbances Saturday.
In Hebron, Israeli soldiers shot rubber bullets and tear gas toward dozens of Palestinians who burned Israeli and American flags and threw stones, slightly injuring 11 people, including a photographer for AFP news service.
Two Israeli soldiers were injured in the clashes and two Israeli civilians were slightly hurt when they were attacked by Palestinians in two separate incidents in the West Bank, the Israeli army spokesman said.
The Israeli army said minor clashes also occurred in Jenin but no injuries were reported. Palestinian police did not interfere to stop the rioters in any of the clashes, the army said.
The fighting came as a deadline for a framework on a final peace treaty passed with wide gaps still between the two sides on final borders, the status of Jerusalem, return of Palestinian refugees and the future of Jewish settlements.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak set the May 13 deadline after the sides missed an initial mid-February deadline. The missed date could jeopardize the Sept. 13 deadline Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have set for a full-fledged permanent agreement.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, the chief Palestinian negotiator for a final agreement, accused Israel of not being serious about making peace with the Palestinians.
"The day passes and the Israeli government has not fulfilled any commitment," Abed Rabbo told The Associated Press. "Israel wants to keep the status quo and that is a recipe for continuous and open conflict between us and not the recipe for peace."
The sides hope the return of U.S. Middle East peace envoy Dennis Ross to the region on Monday and his participation in the next round of talks will help promote progress in the peace talks.
Arafat has said he will declare statehood this year, even without an agreement with Israel.
Barak is having a tough time gaining approval in his coalition for a key Palestinian demand in the talks - that Israel transfer Arab villages near Jerusalem to full Palestinian control in the next withdrawal.
Barak was holding talks with ministers from his One Israel party Saturday night to discuss his coalition troubles since three party members have threatened to withdraw from the government if the villages are given to the Palestinians, Israel radio reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes blasted suspected guerrilla positions in southern Lebanon on Saturday following a guerrilla attack on an Israeli outpost, Lebanese security officials said.
There was no information immediately available on casualties or damage.
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