JERICHO (AP) — On the eve of U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's arrival, a top Palestinian official said without Israeli
concessions, her latest peace efforts “won't go anywhere.”
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, speaking to Associated Press Television News (APTN) in the West Bank town of Jericho, also
accused the Clinton administration of allowing Israel to drag its feet on living up to past accords.
“I hope Madame Albright will end this cycle — meeting and arranging other meetings, giving [Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin]
Netanyahu the extra miles — because this must stop and we must move to substance,” he told APTN.
“We believe that without a clear-cut Netanyahu 'yes' to the American initiative and all its components, I think we won't go
anywhere,” Erekat said.
The Palestinians earlier this year accepted terms of an American-authored plan for an Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank, but
Netanyahu balked, citing security concerns. Talks in the United States last week apparently brought the two sides closer together,
however.
Albright was to meet Tuesday — separately — with Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Her visit is meant to lay
the groundwork for an Israeli-Palestinian summit in Washington sometime around Oct. 15.
Albright was to spend only two days in the region, but was accompanied by mediator Dennis Ross, who will likely stay longer to try
to coax the two sides as close to an accord as possible before any summit.
Israeli officials had no immediate comment on Erekat's remarks. Much of the country was shut down for the Jewish holiday of
Sukkot, which lasts for one week, but main commemorations were Monday.
However, Netanyahu has consistently said that no deal is possible without better security cooperation from Arafat's Palestinian
National Authority. The Palestinians say even diligent efforts cannot provide total protection against attacks on Israel by Islamists.
On Monday's holiday, the Palestinian lands remained sealed off, as they have been for much of the time since a series of Jewish
holidays beginning with the New Year on Sept. 20.
In imposing the closure, Israel cited security threats from the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, which threatened revenge after
two of its top members were slain last month by Israeli troops who raided their West Bank hideout.
Hamas has killed dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings since 1994.
In the Gaza Strip, about 500 people staged a rally to demand the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Sheikh Ahmad
Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, attended, but did not address the crowd.
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