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Israeli Leftists Demonstrate for Peace in Jerusalem
Hundreds of Israeli leftists marched along the stonewall of the Old City of Jerusalem Friday afternoon, calling on the government to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians.
The demonstrators later rallied at the New Gate of the Old City after a gathering in Paris Square in downtown Jerusalem, carrying a banner reading "Enough with the Occupation," according to Israel Radio reports.
The slogan was referring to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which it snatched after the 1967 Mideast War. The Palestinians hope to establish an independent state on the occupied territories with East Jerusalem as its capital.
However, the hope for a peaceful solution has been dampened since bloody clashes broke out three months ago, which have claimed nearly 350 lives, most of them Palestinians, and wounded 10,000 more.
Friday's demonstrators mainly belong to "Women in Black," a women peace camp, and Palestinian women also participated in the joint peace protest.
Two right-wing activists were arrested by police when they tried to break up the protest, the Israel police spokesman office said.
In a related development, polls published Friday showed that even with a peace agreement in hand, Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Barak may still be defeated by right-wing candidate Ariel Sharon, leader of the hawkish Likud party, in the upcoming prime ministerial election on February 6.
Sharon maintained a wide lead over Barak in a Gallup poll published by Israel's Ma'ariv daily, which indicated that 45 percent of pollees support Sharon and only 24 percent vote for Barak.
A poll made by the Yediot Aharonot daily also showed that 48 percent of Israelis would vote for Sharon if elections were held that day, and 35 percent would support Barak.
Barak hopes to reach a deal with the Palestinians by the election day, which was widely regarded as his trump card in the election campaign. However, the Ma'ariv poll showed that although such a deal will enhance his support to 34 percent, but the support for Sharon meanwhile will also be boosted to 54 percent.
Regarding the American bridging proposals which were presented by U.S. President Bill Clinton to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators last week in Washington, 56 percent of the pollees said that they will oppose such a compromise plan, while only 38 percent were in favor.
Clinton hoped that such a proposal, which addressed all the issues between the two sides, such as the fate of Jerusalem, the return of Palestinian refugees, the borders of a future Palestinian state and Jewish settlements, could act as a basis for them to resume talks and reach an accord before he leaves the White House on January 20.
Israel has accepted the proposal in principle, but the Palestinians said that they wanted more details and clarifications about the proposals. A planned three-way summit between Barak, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday was thus cancelled due to the differences.
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