NATION/WORLD UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, July 24, 1996
3B
Palestine, Israel push for peace
Leaders meet to discuss issue of coexistence
The Associated Press
EREZ CHECKPOINT, Gaza Strip — Israel dispelled some concerns about the future yesterday when its new foreign minister shook Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's hand and called their meeting a push toward peace.
The two-hour exchange between David Levy and Arafat was the first high-level contact since Benjamin Netanyahu became Israeli prime minister.
But Netanyahu put a damper on some of the good will.
He said that he would only meet with Arafat if it were vital for Israel's security and said negotiations on a final peace agreement — interrupted by the May 29 Israeli elections — would have to wait until problems with the existing autonomy accord were cleared up.
"I think this is what we can hope to
achieve at this point," Netanyahu said in Jerusalem. "I don't think we should go beyond that. Let's achieve this goal, and then proceed step by step."
Still, the meeting was a turning point for Netanyahu's hard-line Likud Party, which has long demonized Arafat and criticized those who held talks with him.
"History. Who would have believed it?" said an Israeli TV commentator as the Levy-Arafat handshake was broadcast.
Former Cabinet minister Yossi Beilin, who conducted the secret negotiations with the Palestinians, said it was almost worth losing the elections to see the handshake.
"I began the Olso process, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would see David Levy shake hands with Yasser Arafat," he told Channel 1 television.
Arafat was cordial and relaxed at a news conference with Levy, in marked contrast to his downcast demeanor in the weeks following the defeat of Shimon Peres, his peace partner.
Arafat said he and Levy approached each other with open hearts.
"We shall work side-by-side in
"I think this is what we can hope to achieve at this point."
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli prime minister
order to support this relationship for the benefit of Israel and the Palestinian people," he said.
Arafat said he expected the remaining elements of the autonomy agreement, including a partial Israeli troop withdrawal from the West Bank town of Hebron, to be carried out very soon.
Levy did not refer to specific agreements, but profusely praised Arafat's openness and readiness to cooperate.
"I have no doubt that what we achieved today will give a push to the process that is meant to bring peace to Israel and the Palestinians," the foreign minister said.
Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb
Erakat, who attended the talks, said the two leaders decided to reactivate a high-level steering committee to deal with all aspects of the autonomy agreement that have not been carried out.
Both sides have long lists of broken promises.
Israel has complained that Arafat has not done enough to rein in Islamic militants and that his Palestinian Authority was operating illegally in disputed Jerusalem.
Levy demanded yesterday that Arafat stopped all government activities in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want to turn into a future capital. Erakat said Arafat reminded Levy of Peres' promise that Palestinian institutions established before the September 1993 autonomy agreement could remain.
The Palestinians have complained that Israel has failed to release Palestinian prisoners and establish a safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza.
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The meeting, on the Gaza side of the Erez military checkpoint between the coastal strip and Israel, was conducted in Arabic and Hebrew, with both men using translators.
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