Barak Defends Negotiation Stands on Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak Tuesday defended his stands on Jerusalem in the recent negotiations with the Palestinians for a final peace deal, saying that he does not believe in "the peace of ostriches."

In an interview with Israel Radio, Barak stressed that any peace agreement with the Palestinians would have to include Jerusalem, and a real peacemaker would not run away from the thorniest issue between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Peace in which there is no discussion of Jerusalem is the peace of ostriches in which you stand with your head in the sand," Barak stated.

"I am a big believer in the peace of the brave...I don't believe in the peace of ostriches," added Barak.

Barak was responding to attacks leveled by the opposition parties that he had made too many compromises on the issue of Jerusalem at the Camp David summit in July with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and U.S. President Bill Clinton.

At the ill-fated summit, Barak had offered the Palestinians limited control over parts of the Arab East Jerusalem Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. But the Palestinians, which want the eastern section as the capital of their future state, insist total Israeli withdrawal from the part.

The two sides have restored their direct peace talks this week, but no progress has been reported.

The prime minister is now facing an uphill task to restore his majority in the Knesset (Parliament), which will end its summer recess at the end of October.

Barak's coalition, having ruled by a majority in the 120-member knesset, owned only 40 seats for now after the quit of three right-wing partners ahead of the Camp David summit in protest at the peace talks.

Barak once hoped that the major opposition Likud party, led by hawkish Ariel Sharon, could join his government.

However, Sharon told Israel Radio Tuesday that the possibility is near zero. "He (Barak) is ready to give up on nearly everything without getting a thing in return, and more seriously, without bringing about the end of the conflict," said Sharon.



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