Arabs urge new Israeli government to honor peace accords
June 1, 1996
Web posted at: 8:05 a.m. EDTJERUSALEM (CNN) -- While Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu waited until the end of the Jewish Sabbath Saturday to formally claim victory, Arab nations across the Middle East called on the new government to press ahead with the peace process.
Netanyahu is to publicly declare victory in a speech on Sunday, said his spokesman, Shai Bazak.
Presided over by Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Authority met with the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee Saturday and urged Israel's new right-wing government to "honor implementing what has been agreed upon" in early peace talks.
The groups released a joint statement after the meeting saying, "We call upon the new government to implement the principle of the exchange of land for peace," originally proposed by the United States during Middle East peace talks.
The hard-line Netanyahu opposes the land-for-peace concept, which calls for Israel to turn over previously occupied territories in exchange for a halt in hostilities.
Netanyahu initially said he would not meet with Arafat, whom he called an "arch-terrorist," but in the latter days of the campaign he relented, saying he would meet with the Palestinian leader if Israel's security warranted it.
Marwan Kanafani of the Palestinian Legislative Council said the Palestinians would work with Netanyahu's government.
"Mr. Netanyahu is a politician, he is not an adventurer, and I think he will respect and he should respect the agreement that has been signed between . . . the Palestinian national authority and the state of Israel," Kanafani said. "We did not sign an agreement with Mr. Peres or the Labor Party. We signed an agreement with the Israeli state and the Israeli government at that time."
Arafat was said to be disappointed by Netanyahu's narrow victory over Shimon Peres. Some of his fellow Palestinians expressed deeper worries.
"No peace, no state, no Jerusalem," said tailor Smih Fasih in a Gaza refugee camp. "It is a complete failure for peace."
Jordan's King Hussein sounded a more optimistic note. (272K AIFF or WAV sound)
"I believe chances are there and are great and we look towards the future with hope," the king told CNN. "I see no reason to put too much emphasis on this election and to say that the Israelis are moving away from peace." (238K AIFF or WAV sound)
In Syria, the state newspaper al-Thawra urged the United States to call for a new round of Israel-Syria peace talks.
"The U.S. is urged, after the end of the election battle in Israel, to work to resume the peace process on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks in accordance with the U.S. (land-for-peace) initiative," the paper said.
The Israel-Syria peace talks stalled over the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in the war of 1967. Peres broke off the talks completely in March after a series of Palestinian suicide bombings left 59 people dead in Israel.
"There is no alternative for Israel but to withdraw fully from all the occupied Arab lands and to abandon its policy of expansion and hegemony," al-Thawra said.
Lebanon, which coordinates its peace plans closely with Syria, was cautiously hopeful about the election results.
"I hope Prime Minister Netanyahu will be other than the candidate Netanyahu," said Foreign Minister Faris Bouez. "We hope that Netanyahu will be realistic in a way not to destroy the hopes of peace in the Middle East."
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was less hopeful.
"One should not expect any changes between different prime ministers in Israel," Berri said. "Their methods may be different but their aim is the same. And the result is the same with their ongoing aggression and occupation of Arab land."
Lebanon's peace talks with Israel have been on hold since February 1994.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Netanyahu and peace
- A look at Benjamin Netanyahu
- Netanyahu's stand on the issues
- CNNfn - Investors watching Israeli elections - May 30, 1996
Related newsgroups:
(Certain newsgroups may not be available on your news server)
Special section:
Please send us your questions and comments on the Israeli elections:
Feedback: Tell us your thoughts
Comments: Read what other users have said.
Back to the top
FeedbackSend us your comments.Selected responses are posted daily. |
|
![[Imagemap]](/WORLD/images/9601/navbar2.gif){kind=small}
Copyright © 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
