Senior Israeli and Palestinian officials met secretly at the Egyptian mission to the United Nations Wednesday to discuss the prospects for sending hundreds of UN observers or peacekeepers to east Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank, reported the Washington Post newspaper, quoting UN diplomats as saying.
Israel's spokesman at the United Nations, Ariel Milo, would not confirm or deny that the meeting occurred, and Palestinian officials were not available for comment, said the report.
Diplomats told the paper that the meeting provided the first hint that Israel may be willing to consider a Palestinian request for an international presence to help end more than a month and a half of bloody confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has publicly rejected the idea of a UN force, and President Clinton has said that no such force can be sent without Israeli consent.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat asked the UN Security Council last week to send 2,000 armed UN peacekeepers to protect Palestinian civilians from attacks by the Israeli army.
However, he also assured the council that he would consider a French proposal for a smaller, unarmed force of UN observers, said the paper.
On Tuesday, US Ambassador, Richard C. Holbrooke had urged Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Yehuda Lancry, to meet with the Palestinian representative, Nasser al-Kidwa, to discuss the situation, according to the paper - Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
