Israel Agrees to Hold Marathon Negotiations with PalestiniansIsrael's "peace cabinet" decided Saturday to accept the Palestinian proposal of holding intensive talks in Egypt in a bid to secure a peace deal before Israel's prime ministerial election on February 6.The talks will last 10 days starting on late Sunday and will be held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Taba, Israeli Radio reported. The proposal was raised by Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami Wednesday during their meeting in Cairo. Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his "peace cabinet," made up of his top ministers involved in peace efforts, approved the proposal during a meeting Saturday at his home in the central town of Kochav Yair. The talks will center on former U.S. President Bill Clinton's bridging proposals, which would give Palestinians sovereignty over the al-Aqsa mosque compound but deny the right of return for over 3.7 million Palestinian refugees. Barak and Arafat may join the negotiations later. Israeli official said the Israeli team will be headed by Ben- Ami, Transportation Minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak and Justice Minister Yossi Beilin. Barak, who is trailing behind his rival -- opposition Likud Prime Ministerial candidate Ariel Sharon -- in public opinion polls, badly needs a peace deal to boost his chances of getting re- elected. |
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