The Palestinians doubt they can reach a peace deal with Israel before US President Bill Clinton leaves office January 20, a top Palestinian official said Friday, pinning the blame on Israel.
"For seven years Israel has been dodging around the implementation of commitments it has made and agreements it has signed, (so) it is not easy for negotiations to advance in the last phase of the Clinton presidency," said Faruq Qaddumi, the director of the Palestine Liberation Organization's political bureau.
He charged that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak "has failed at his commitments and resorted to guile and trickery in political negotiations."
"Despite the flexibility shown by the Palestinians, the Israelis have not reacted favorably to it and explain the current situation as a weakness on the part of the Arabs," Qaddumi told reporters.
He said that "threats of war" made by Barak were "formal proof of his failure to achieve peace and proof of his desire to be re-elected anew by Israelis."
Barak is facing an uphill battle to win re-election February 6, while the United States is urging the Israelis and Palestinians to accept a set of compromise proposals from Clinton.
Barak has also expressed pessimism over a deal, blaming Palestinian intransigence.
Meanwhile Israeli troops shot dead another Palestinian on Friday, bringing the number of dead to 368 since anti-Israeli riots erupted September 28.
Qaddumi was in Cairo for a meeting Thursday of Arab foreign ministers, who renewed support for Palestinian claims over east Jerusalem and refugees' right of return to Israel -- CAIRO (AFP)
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