A Saudi Arabian newspaper reported over the weekend that four Arab countries are planning a mini-summit following the upcoming Palestinian Authority elections. The residents of the PA are scheduled to go to the polls on January 9 to choose a new leader, following the death of Yasser Arafat.
“The aim of the mini-summit will be to achieve a joint Arab stand on the peace process within the next two months,” according to the newspaper Okaz. The Saudi daily states that Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan will meet with the Palestinian Authority leadership after the elections.
Abu Mazen, the leading candidate to win the election, and PA prime minister Ahmed Qurei (Aba Ala) traveled to Egypt on Sunday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak - lending credence to the Saudi report.
Abu Mazen recently stated in Arabic that he would continue Arafat's legacy and would continue to demand the “right of return” for some four million Arabs to move to Israel. In an English-language Newsweek magazine interview published this week, however, he was more circumspect. Asked, “Why did you start talking about how you would never give up the right of return?” Abu Mazen replied only,
“I'm not talking about anything beyond the Roadmap. According to the Roadmap, there should be a just and agreed-upon solution for the refugees according to [U.N. Resolution] 194."
Every Israeli government, including the Barak regime, has refused to discuss the idea, the implementation of which would turn Israel into a bi-national state.
A united Arab front would also harden the PA’s position concerning U.S. involvement in the peace process. Arab spokesmen have made statements against Condoleezza Rice, whom President Bush has named as new Secretary of State. Hamas has called her a “Zionist”, and Arab media have ridiculed her, according to the Arab News, a Middle East English daily published in Saudi Arabia.
Israel already is preparing for talks with the PA, and American and European officials are meeting almost daily with both sides in an effort to renew negotiations. Sharon has stated the PA must halt incitement for terrorism before Israel would renew talks for the first time in more than a year. However, both he and Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom have issued statements indicating they would be satisfied with the PA’s declarations of intentions, despite continued television programs encouraging terrorism against Israel.
“The aim of the mini-summit will be to achieve a joint Arab stand on the peace process within the next two months,” according to the newspaper Okaz. The Saudi daily states that Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan will meet with the Palestinian Authority leadership after the elections.
Abu Mazen, the leading candidate to win the election, and PA prime minister Ahmed Qurei (Aba Ala) traveled to Egypt on Sunday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak - lending credence to the Saudi report.
Abu Mazen recently stated in Arabic that he would continue Arafat's legacy and would continue to demand the “right of return” for some four million Arabs to move to Israel. In an English-language Newsweek magazine interview published this week, however, he was more circumspect. Asked, “Why did you start talking about how you would never give up the right of return?” Abu Mazen replied only,
“I'm not talking about anything beyond the Roadmap. According to the Roadmap, there should be a just and agreed-upon solution for the refugees according to [U.N. Resolution] 194."
Every Israeli government, including the Barak regime, has refused to discuss the idea, the implementation of which would turn Israel into a bi-national state.
A united Arab front would also harden the PA’s position concerning U.S. involvement in the peace process. Arab spokesmen have made statements against Condoleezza Rice, whom President Bush has named as new Secretary of State. Hamas has called her a “Zionist”, and Arab media have ridiculed her, according to the Arab News, a Middle East English daily published in Saudi Arabia.
Israel already is preparing for talks with the PA, and American and European officials are meeting almost daily with both sides in an effort to renew negotiations. Sharon has stated the PA must halt incitement for terrorism before Israel would renew talks for the first time in more than a year. However, both he and Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom have issued statements indicating they would be satisfied with the PA’s declarations of intentions, despite continued television programs encouraging terrorism against Israel.