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Israeli Cabinet Says Sharon Not Bound by Barak Peace Proposals
Israeli caretaker cabinet on Sunday affirmed that incoming Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's government has no obligation to honor the previous Israeli stances on the peace talks with the Palestinians, Israel Radio reported.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak made similar statements in letters to world leaders last week that the next Israeli government is not bound by former U.S. President Bill Clinton's peace proposals, Israeli offers at the Camp David summit, and the peace talks at Egypt's Red Sea resort of Taba.
At the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the cabinet ministers received copies of the letters Barak sent to U.S. President George W. Bush and Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin, an architect of the 1993 Oslo peace accords, expressed his reservations about Barak's position, but did not vote against it, the radio said.
Barak, who was defeated in the prime ministerial election by opposition Likud leader Sharon last Tuesday and is leading his Labor Party negotiations over the establishment of a national unity government with the Likud, asked the cabinet ministers to prepare their ministries for an orderly transfer to the Sharon government.
Barak and Sharon met for the second time on Sunday since the election to discuss the coalition issues as well as the diplomatic and security situation.
Although Barak has announced his intention to quit politics following his defeat in the election, Sharon offered him the defense portfolio and some other cabinet posts to attract the Labor into his coalition government.
Uzi Baram, a veteran member of the Labor Party, announced his decision to quit politics on Sunday, in the third Labor resignation following Barak and his campaign chairman and Knesset (Parliament) member Elie Goldschmidt.
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