By Beth J. Harpaz, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Yasser Arafat refused Sunday to back away from plans for declaring independence next year for Palestinians
living on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority, has previously said he would declare statehood next year, regardless of whether a
final peace agreement with Israel has been negotiated.
"The international community and all peace-loving people must exert every possible effort to ensure the implementation of the
agreement before May 4, 1999,'' he reiterated in a 30-minute speech.
"This is the date,'' Arafat declared. "It just cannot come and go like any other day. On that day, we hope that our basic choice of
reaching an agreement is realized.''
The event was organized by the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, a private, nonpartisan group.
Arafat is scheduled to address the United Nations on Monday. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said she hoped he would not
use the occasion to make a unilateral declaration of his intention to set up a Palestinian state.
After Arafat's speech Sunday, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Dori Gold, said the Palestinian leader was making a
mistake by sticking to the May 4 deadline. "A declaration of statehood on May 4, 1999, will collapse the process,'' Gold said.
Arafat also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining the peace process, including the failure to withdraw
Israeli troops from the West Bank by March under the Hebron Accord.
"Since the current Israeli government assumed office, hopes for peace began to fade out, replaced by despair and violence,'' he said.
"The political platform of Mr. Netanyahu's government is reflected in its intention to set the clock backward, to slow the pace of
peace and lower Palestinian expectations.'' Gold said Arafat "missed an opportunity to reach out and create a tone of mutual
reconciliation. Unfortunately he used the opportunity to hammer the government of Israel.''
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