Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is set to meet in Washington today with U.S. President Bush today. Mubarak will present his ideas for a diplomatic initiative to end the current Israeli-PLO warfare, including the declaration of a PLO state by early next year. Arafat\'s role, according to Egypt, will be largely ceremonial. \"I am not saying Arafat is the best man, no,\" Mubarak told The New York Times, \"but we have to use Arafat in this present situation.\"
Prime Minister Sharon will depart for Washington early next week, where he will present his own plan. It includes the expulsion of Arafat from the region, as well as a long-range interim plan with a partial Israeli withdrawal from PA-controlled areas. Four Likud MKs sent a letter to Sharon this morning in which they remind him of the Likud Party decision of last month against any form of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The four are Eli Cohen, Ayoub Kara (of the Druze community), Yisrael Katz, and Yuval Shteinitz.
Prime Minister Sharon will depart for Washington early next week, where he will present his own plan. It includes the expulsion of Arafat from the region, as well as a long-range interim plan with a partial Israeli withdrawal from PA-controlled areas. Four Likud MKs sent a letter to Sharon this morning in which they remind him of the Likud Party decision of last month against any form of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The four are Eli Cohen, Ayoub Kara (of the Druze community), Yisrael Katz, and Yuval Shteinitz.