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May 5, 2000/30 Nisan 5760, Vol. 52, No.35
Barak may seek referendum on Palestinian deal
NAOMI SEGAL
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is considering holding a national referendum when and if Israel and the Palestinian Authority agree on the framework of a final peace accord.
Sources close to Barak said the prime minister discussed the idea with Cabinet members from his One Israel bloc.
First, however, Israel and the Palestinians must agree on the framework - no small task in light of the slow progress in talks so far.
On Sunday, the two sides launched accelerated talks aimed at reaching the broad outlines of a final accord.
Negotiators face a mid-May deadline for agreeing on the framework, but the sluggish pace of two previous rounds of talks held in Washington have prompted speculation that the target date may be again postponed to June.
After agreeing on the accord's framework, the two sides will then have to conclude the accord itself by Sept. 13 to meet a self-imposed deadline.
The negotiators have four thorny issues topping their agenda - Jerusalem, Jewish settlements, final borders and Palestinian refugees.
In an effort to help speed the pace of the talks, U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross was expected to join the negotiators, who were meeting Tuesday, May 2, in the Red Sea resort of Eilat.
According to Israeli media reports on Sunday, Barak may soon transfer security control over three Arab towns near Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority as an "advance" on a planned further pullback in the West Bank.
Barak would reportedly seek approval from his Security Cabinet for such a move, which is intended to build confidence in the Palestinian talks.
The villages - Abu Dis, Al-Azariya and Sawahara - are currently under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control.
Arab towns near Jerusalem were initially to be included in an Israeli redeployment carried out several weeks ago.
But Barak came under political pressure from hawkish members of his government, and at the last minute the towns were excluded from the redeployment maps.
Barak began consulting Sunday with members of his coalition to see how they would react to his plans for advancing the negotiations.
Interior Minister Natan Sharansky, of the Yisrael Ba'Aliyah Party, adamantly opposed the idea of transferring to the Palestinians areas that "kiss Jerusalem."
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