EU to adopt declaration of support for Palestinian statehood

HA'ARETZ 3/25/99: "The European Union (EU) is set to adopt a major declaration today that is more explicit than ever in supporting the "right" of Palestinian statehood and stating clearly that Israel cannot "veto" that "right."

In an unprecedented fashion, the declaration raises the prospect that diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state by European countries could occur a year from now, if final status negotiations between the parties do not conclude by that time.

The EU declaration was informally coordinated with Washington, which promised the Palestinians earlier this week that a deadline on final status talks will be determined right after the Israeli elections.

Neither Washington nor Brussels wants Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to declare Palestinian independence on May 4, the day after the five-year interim period determined by the Oslo agreement comes to an end, fearing it will play into the hands Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's re-election campaign.

The Likud meanwhile yesterday claimed a "victory" because of President Clinton's firm stand against a unilateral statehood declaration and Arafat's apparent decision not to declare statehood on May 4.

Ha'aretz has learned that the Europeans and Americans decided early this month on a division of labor in the effort to assuage Palestinian frustration without rupturing the strained relations with the current Israeli government - or driving voters into Netanyahu's arms.

The Americans already took the first step, as Clinton said Tuesday that the U.S. is committed to initiating an accelerated round of final status negotiations after the Israeli elections, with a firm deadline for completion. The next move will be today's European declaration recognizing the Palestinian right to a state.

The U.S. State Department denies there is a "coordinated strategy," but confirms that they have conducted discussions with EU officials on this issue. The document, which has been secretly in the works for weeks, was provisionally approved by EU prime ministers at their Berlin summit yesterday, and is expected to be formalized today as part of the concluding communique.

According to the expected Berlin statement, "the EU is convinced that the creation of a democratic viable and peaceful sovereign Palestinian state on the basis of existing agreements and through negotiations would be the best guarantee of Israel's security and Israel's acceptance as an equal partner in the region."

The copy of the draft, obtained by Ha'aretz from non-European sources, continues: "The EU declares its readiness to consider recognition of a Palestinian state in due course in accordance with the basic principles referred to above."

In terms of a timetable, the draft declaration states "the European Union calls in particular for an early resumption of final status negotiations in the coming months on an accelerated basis and for these to be brought to a prompt conclusion and not prolonged indefinitely.

The EU "appeals to the parties to strive in good faith for a negotiated solution on the basis of the existing agreements without prejudice to this right which is not subject to any veto."

Israeli diplomats, who lobbied hard to prevent to European decisions in the past, were strangely silent this time, nor is there any indication that Netanyahu made any effort to block the declaration's passage by making personal phone calls to EU leaders.

European officials say the U.S. has avoided formally approving the language of the Berlin declaration, but U.S. officials privately admit that they were aware that the Europeans were about to support a resolution on Palestinian statehood.

One non-European source called the U.S.-EU contacts "deniable coordination," noting that Germany would not permit a draft against U.S. wishes. The draft, while supporting statehood and raising the prospect of diplomatic recognition, falls just short of a French suggestion that diplomatic recognition of Palestinian statehood be automatic if a new deadline passes.

France believes if a new date is not set without the threat of recognition, this will give Israel a veto over whether there should be statehood.

The driving foce behind the Berlin declaration was to enable Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to postpone his May 4 declaration. Some political sources say it was also designed to ensure that Netanyahu could not claim such a postponement as a personal victory.

But the Likud yesterday claimed that the Clinton-Arafat summit was a success for Netanyahu, because "the U.S. accepted in full Israel's position against a unilateral declaration of statehood."...

SLA detained on spying for Hizballah?

MA'ARIV 3/23/99: "Defense establishment officials categorically reject reports saying that senior SLA [South Lebanon Army] officers were detained for spying for Hizballah.

Defense Minister Moshe Arens said on Channel 1 last night that these reports are baseless. Senior sources said that the detainees are south Lebanese civilians who are suspected of spying for Syria, and their detention had nothing to do with the bombing in which Brigadier General Erez Gerstein was killed.

The reports on the detention of senior SLA officers were yesterday sweepingly denied by the IDF [Israel Defense Forces], the Defense Ministry, the office of the coordinator of activities in Lebanon, and by the Shin Bet.

"The detainees are residents of the Hasbayya area in the security zone. They are suspected of spying for Syria, and their interrogation is carried out in south Lebanon by the SLA itself."

Defense establishment elements asserted that the reports aimed "to embarrass the SLA and Israel" and to stoke the Israeli public debate on the IDF deployment in south Lebanon.

"The purpose of the mendacious reports is obvious: They are designed to sow doubts in our minds about the SLA's loyalty and our ability to cooperate with the SLA," a senior officer said.

"There are undoubtedly some SLA soldiers who collaborate with the enemy, but it is not the case here."

[Yedi'ot Aharonot in Hebrew on 23 March carries a report by Eytan Glickman and Smadar Peri: "The IDF has decided to watch the SLA more closely so as to prevent collaboration between SLA soldiers and Hizballah. To achieve that, senior Northern Command officers yesterday met with their senior SLA counterparts."

As of now, the IDF will try to reduce the quantity of information on its activities passed to the SLA. A senior Northern Command officer said yesterday that Israel is looking for a successor to SLA chief, General Antoine Lahd (73) to ensure the organization's survival, but others believe Israel wishes to reinforce his standing."]

Israeli security in Turkey

YEDIOT AHARONOT 3/23/99: "Senior Israeli security officials are in Istanbul to advise the Turks on how to secure crowded places. It was learned yesterday that as part of the bilateral cooperation on the war on terror, Israel is helping Turkey protect itself from the

Kurdish threats to step up the wave of terror and disrupt tourism to the country. Istanbul police chief Hasan Ozdemir commented yesterday on the sharp drop (about 50 percent) in Israeli tourism to Turkey in recent days.

"I am personally prepared to vouch for it that anybody can walk around Istanbul -- even wearing a T-shirt with 'I'm an Israeli' printed on it -- and nothing will happen to them," Ozdemir said.

He said there is no PKK [Workers Party of Kurdistan] presence in Istanbul. "Istanbul is one of the safest cities in the world," he affirmed..."

Iran wants to trade with Israel

MA'ARIV 3/21/99: "Iranian firms seek to trade directly with Israel and proposals to this effect were made at an international fair that ended last week in Cologne, Germany. These details were disclosed by Amnon Shaham, the director general of the Gemel firm from Kibbutz Sarid, which develops and manufactures sharpening and cutting wheels for the metal, stone, and wood industries.

According to Shaham, the representatives of the three largest Iranian companies in marketing industrial equipment and work tools met at the Israeli pavilion with the representatives of the kibbutz factory and discussed the possibility of direct trade between the two countries.

Shaham said that at the fair, the Iranians already presented an initial order for three containers with an wide assortment of the Israeli company's wares, that will be shipped to Iran via Greece.

When Shaham asked the Iranians why their country is now examining the possibility of direct trade relations with Israel after a 20-year break, they replied that in Iran, people now feel that the barriers to direct trade will soon be removed and they want to be first in line."

Good Russia-Israel relations?

Moscow's ITAR-TASS 3/22/99: "We are satisfied with the way that relations between Russia and Israel are developing. Over the last few years these ties have had a tendency to develop. We have active personal contacts.

There is an exchange of information on the level of government, parliament and other organizations."

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated this today before the start of the talks with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The head of the Israeli government arrived in Moscow on Sunday [21st March].

"Economic and scientific and technical cooperation are also developing between Russia and Israel," Igor Ivanov said.

"We think that this is in the interests of the peoples of our countries, of stability in the Middle East. We are interested in these tendencies continuing. And we feel sure that we have more opportunities for developing cooperation," the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated."

Tibi to Knesset or Arafat?

YEDIOT AHARONOT 3/23/99: "Senior Palestinian Authority [PA] officials are trying to persuade the Arab parties not to include Ahmad al-Tibi on their Knesset lists claiming that PA Chairman Yasir 'Arafat needs him as an adviser.

Al-Tibi recently studied the possibility of uniting his movement, The Arab List for Change, with HADASH [Democratic Front for Peace and Equality] for the Knesset, but it did not work out.

Several days ago, al-Tibi held unofficial talks with the Balad movement headed by Knesset Member 'Azmi Bisharah, but no agreements have so far been reached. Yedi'ot Aharonot has learned that following these contacts, senior PA officials told Arab party officials that they want Dr. al-Tibi to continue working as an adviser to 'Arafat, which he cannot do if he is elected to the Knesset.

The senior PA officials explained that "in the coming months, prior to the possible declaration of a Palestinian state, we can expect a lot of hard work to explain that move. Only al-Tibi knows how to explain the PA's position to Israelis."