Summary and Analysis

The Palestinian Authority reacted in a very cautious but optimistic way to last night’s meetings and continued contacts with Israel: The head of the PA negotiating team, Ahmad Qreia (Abu Ala), told the Voice of Palestine that the talks were serious but there were major gaps and no real progress on substantive issues-leaving almost no chance for any agreement before the Israeli elections.

“It’s agreed that there is no agreement until we agree on all matters,” said Qreia.

VOP, unlike the Voice of Israel, was not reporting the imminent opening of the Gaza airport and the increasing influx of Arab workers into Israel. Similarly, VOP is covering the security talks-for several days now-through the prism of attempts to “stop Israeli aggression,” “to lift the Israeli siege,” and “to halt the attacks on our people”: without any mention of need to halt attacks on Israelis.

The PA has apparently put the death penalty on the back burner-no executions are being announced-but it is still pursuing a campaign against anyone who would “cooperate with Israel,” and VOP has broadcast that scores of Israeli agents have surrendered to Palestinian authorities.

The regular PA commentator on the Israeli elections, MK Dr. Azmi Bashara, appeared on the air once again to poke fun at “the two generals”-Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon-asserting that it was a near-certainty that Barak would be defeated.

Morning News Round-Up Headlines, 7:00 a.m.

  • “A new meeting today between the Palestinian and Israeli delegations headed by Ahmad Qreia and Shlomo Ben-Ami n an attempt to bridge the gaps between the stances o the two parties;
  • Ahmad Qreia says the talks are serious but there are real clashes in the negotiations;
  • The Political-Security committee headed by Dr. Saeb Erikat, the Minister of Home Rule, and the Israeli delegation led by Minister of Tourism Amnon Shahak met through the night, and the Palestinian side renewed its demand for an end to all forms of Israeli aggression;
  • Tens of agents turn themselves in to the security organizations, revealing details of their operations with Israel ;
  • Israeli television campaign begins…and both candidates concentrate on their military careers;
  • American President Clinton will give a speech to the American people at the end of his term, and medical report shows that he is sufering from skin cancer;
  • President of the Congo Lauren Kabila assassinated by one of his body guards.”

Morning Headlines:

News Bulletin Headlines 7 a.m. / 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.

  • “The Palestinian delegation lead by Speaker Ahmad Qreia and the Israeli delegation led by Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami will hold a meeting today to attempt to bridge the gaps between the two sides on the main issues;
  • Ahmad Qreia described the talks last nights as ‘serious and deep’ but said there were also real clashes in the talks with the Israelis concerning the issues of Jerusalem, the refugees, the land and borders. And Mr. Qreia said that the issue of settler attacks on our people and putting an end to assault on our people was at the forefront of the talks yesterday;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat headed a meeting last night of the Supreme Negotiating Committee to discuss the latest developments in the talks last night with the Israeli side and the efforts to put an end to Israeli aggression and to restore the peace process;
  • There was a Palestinian-Israeli security-political meeting at the Beit Hanoun junction which stretched into the late hours of the night concentrating on putting an end to Israeli aggression…;
  • Masses of our people in Nablus escorted yesterday afternoon the exalted martyr Mahdi Shtaya from the town of Salim who was shot dead two days ago by occupation soldiers;
  • Occupation troops and settlers extended their aggression yesterday, wounding 9 people;
  • Last night in Gaza, occupation soldiers shelled several homes of citizens…;
  • Four of our citizens in the Mintar area in eastern Gaza by fire from occupation soldiers, and four more were wounded by settlers’ fire on citizens residences near the Tufah checkpoint, and the settlers renewed their aggression in Dir al-Balah and Mawasi, destroying 100 dunams of agricultural land;
  • Occupation forces destroyed ten homes in Jenin;
  • Under protection of occupation troops, settlers uprooted 100 olive trees near Nablus…;
  • A responsible Egyptian source says that the Egyptian President will receive in Cairo today Israeli foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami to discuss recent regional developments in the wake recent Palestinian-Israeli meetings…;
  • The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations renewed its demand for international protection to stop Israeli aggression against our people…;
  • Iraqi President Saddam Hussein yesterday received a Palestinian delegation headed by Dr. Farouk Qaddoumi, head of the Political Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as well as the ministers of Public Works, Economics and Health ‘Azam al-Ahmad, Maher al-Masri and Dr. Riad al-Za’noun. And the presient of Iraq sent his personal greetings to President Yasser Arafat and the sons of our people as well as Iraq’s stance of solidarity with our right to our struggle until we secure the legitimate rights of our people…;
  • The White House announced that a lesion taken from the back of President Clinton was cancerous…;
  • A spokesman or President-Elect George Bush announced that he would retain George Tenet as head of the Central Intelligence Agency-the CIA. And Bush asked Tenet to remain at his post for an indefinite period;…
  • President-Elect Bush says that his administration is re-examining the foreign affairs conceptions…;
  • President Clinton for his part is preparing a televised departure speech to the American people Sunday night….;
  • A spokesman or OPEC said it was lowering prices….”

Quotes from Interview with Ahmad Qreia, PA Legislature Speaker

“Really, it was a general discussion on a variety of matters, concentrating on the matter of land, the question of Jerusalem, at the beginning, and at the end, it was serious. The differences continue and continue. But the talk was serious.”

Question: “Is there something positive about this talk? Will it lead anywhere?”

Answer: “Well, the gap continues. The differences remain. But there was serious talk between the two parties.”

Question: “The gaps remain great, but did you notice from the Israelis the ability to change anything or did they just cling to their stubbornness of the past period, the period of the elections?”

Answer: “Perhaps there are some matters and some talk on which we can build. But to say we’re getting to something final and basic, I CANNOT SAY THAT.”

Question: “There’s some talk about a great ability to reach understanding, with all the reservations of both sides…based on the American framework…?”

Answer: “Absolute Not. There is no talk of that. There are our subjects out on the table. They are: the land and, Jerusalem and the refugees and the borders. These are the four matters we’re talking about. If things go well, we’ll add to it the question of water. And it’s agreed that there is no agreement until we agree on all matters”.

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