PNA Studying US Peace ProposalsPalestinian leader Yasser Arafat affirmed here Wednesday morning that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is still studying the US peace proposals for making a final deal with Israel.After performing the Eid al-Fitr prayer in a Gaza-based mosque, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Arafat told reporters that the Palestinian side is still examining the proposals presented by U.S. outgoing President Bill Clinton to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators at the end of their five-day talks in Washington Saturday. He stressed the desire of the Palestinian leadership to restore sovereignty over Jerusalem, including all mosques and churches. Arafat is due to participate in a three-way summit to be held Thursday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which will also be attended by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The three leaders will discuss the American compromise plan. Meanwhile, a senior Palestinian official said the Palestinian leadership has sent a letter to Clinton on Wednesday, which includes Palestinians' reservations on the American proposals related to all thorny issues, including Jerusalem and security. The official added that the Palestinian leaders have studied the U.S. proposals and found them similar to those reached during the Camp David summit in last July which failed over such key issues as the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. In another development, the Committee of Advocating Rights of Palestinian Refugees in the West Bank issued a statement confirming its refusal of the U.S. proposals in connection with the Palestinian refugees. Chairman of the Committee and member of the Legislative Council, Hussam el-Khudary said that accepting of these proposals by the PNA means "Palestinian concession of the right to return for the refugees and a national treason deforming the image of the Palestine Liberation Organization." |
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