WASHINGTON INSIGHT

GIVING PEACE A CHANCE: Within hours of the Israeli election, rumors arose about a possible Mideast “October Surprise.” . . . The theory: Prime Minister-to-be Yitzhak Rabin offers at least part of a deal on Palestinian autonomy in the occupied territories by fall. This follows up on Rabin’s promise to move quickly on the peace negotiations but also boosts President Bush--right before the election--as peacemaker and world leader. . . . Both Israelis and Palestinians, the thinking goes, might prefer to deal with Bush, a known quantity, rather than Bill Clinton or Ross Perot.