Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami, who is on a visit to Turkey, said Friday that Israel and the Palestinians have never been closer to peace, said AFP, citing Anatolia news agency.
"We are at a very critical point. We have never been so close to peace," he was quoted as saying by Anatolia upon his arrival in Ankara for meetings with Turkish officials.
Ben Ami was scheduled to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer over the latest developments in the region, said the agency.
Meanwhile, Israel has agreed to hold marathon talks in Taba, Egypt in a last-ditch attempt to save the peace process before the Israeli premiership elections scheduled for February 6.
Al Jazira satellite channel quoted speaker of the Palestinian parliament, Ahmad Qorei, as saying a ten-day round of negotiations will start Sunday upon the invitation of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Haaretz reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak will convene a meeting of his "peace cabinet" on Friday to discuss the proposal, with the aim of reaching a final status framework agreement.
Barak has spoken of “painful compromises” to the Palestinians regarding Jerusalem, Al Jazira reported. He was quoted as suggesting “a special administration” of Jerusalem without defining what he meant by the term.
However, the station said that Barak wants Israeli sovereignty over the West Wall, the Jewish neighborhood, and a Jewish cemetery in east Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Israel is determined to have control of 80 percent of the Jewish settlement.
Al Jazira also said that the Palestinians have launched test balloons proposing an international administration of the Holy City; the Israelis rejected it while the PNA distanced itself from the suggestion.
Meanwhile, Palestinian refugees in the Balata Camp demonstrated on Thursday and burned a photo the Canadian foreign minister, who had suggested absorbing part of the refugees in Canada, according to the station.
US officials have urged both the Palestinian and the Israelis to put an end to the violence to pave the way for a peace settlement of the conflict.
US Middle East peace coordinator Denis Ross told Al Jazira in an interview in Washington that while the Palestinians should refrain from incitement, Israel should also stop settlement expansion and confiscation of Palestinian properties.
He said that there will be no end to the conflict without a solution to the refugee issue.
Violence, meanwhile, continued. Palestinian armed men and the Israeli forces exchanged fire at the Martyrs Junction (Netzarim) in Gaza late Thursday, while an Israeli teenager was found slain near the Palestinian town of Al Bireh.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the body of Ofir Nahum, 16, from Ashkelon, who was murdered by Palestinian assailants in the town on Wednesday, was handed over to Israeli officials - Albawaba.com
