Israel Bars PLO Official From Entering Jerusalem for Speech

The Palestinian economist who led the PLO team in secret negotiations with Israel a year ago was prohibited by the Israelis from entering Jerusalem on Wednesday to address an investment conference.

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin rejected the request from Ahmed Suleiman Khoury, economy minister of the new Palestinian Authority, on grounds that his speech would be an official activity and, under the autonomy accord, should be made only in the Gaza Strip or Jericho district in the West Bank.

The Israeli action is part of a campaign to prevent the Palestine Liberation Organization from increasing its activities in East Jerusalem and strengthening its claim on the city as capital of the independent state it hopes to establish.

But Khoury, better known as Abu Alaa, was furious, feeling that much of the trust built up in months of secret talks last year in Norway has been lost.

“For Israel to try to create a de facto situation in Jerusalem is more dangerous than they think,” Khoury said. “This jeopardizes the peace process. The Israelis are acting as if there is no peace agreement between us.”

Rabin, determined to maintain Israel’s hold on Jerusalem, has instructed officials to act against any expansion of Palestinian political activities in East Jerusalem and to enforce a strict ban on all actions of the Palestinian Authority here. He is expected to introduce legislation soon to strengthen government curbs on political activities currently protected by Israeli law.

Rabin’s tough line earlier led to the cancellation of a visit to Jerusalem by negotiator Nabil Shaath, the authority’s planning minister.

It also prompted Faisal Husseini, who was appointed a senior minister, to refuse to be sworn in when PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat inaugurated his Cabinet. Husseini says that Israeli actions violate the agreement with the PLO to discuss the future of Jerusalem in two years.

Khoury eventually addressed by telephone the 400 business people at the investment conference.