Ray of Hope Brightens Prospects of Mideast Peace Process

After months of frustration in the U.S.-brokered peace process, American and Israeli officials said Friday that there is reason to hope for a break soon in the stalemated negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians over a West Bank troop withdrawal.

“There are many details that still need to be worked out, and it could all fall apart again,” a U.S. official said. “But cautious optimism is probably appropriate.”

David Bar-Illan, a senior advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he could not comment on specifics of bargaining, but he added that “something does appear to be brewing in terms of a deal in the coming days.”

In Gaza City, Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat also expressed mild optimism about chances for agreement on a U.S. plan to revive the peace process.

Asked whether he expected an accord soon, Arafat said Thursday, “I hope so,” adding that U.S. mediators have assured him that “everything will be complete” by mid-June.

The new, limited hope came as Israeli newspapers published what they said were details of the U.S. proposal for Israel to hand over 13% more of the West Bank territory in exchange for security measures by the Palestinians.

As published, the plan would restrict expansion of Jewish settlement and leave 40% of the West Bank territory under full or partial Palestinian control.

Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. officials said Friday that the plan published by the Haaretz and Maariv newspapers was outdated and that details had since been altered. But they said the framework described--a phased withdrawal over 12 weeks, with each step linked to specific Palestinian obligations--was basically accurate.

The reports came amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, including meetings in London this week between U.S. special envoy Dennis B. Ross and two top Palestinian negotiators, and in Cairo between Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Mordechai also is to travel to Amman, Jordan, on Sunday to confer with King Hussein.

And in another indication that progress may be occurring, leaders of Jewish settlements are intensifying their campaign to try to block an Israeli redeployment.

In an emergency meeting late Thursday, the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza approved steps, including demonstrations and attempts to expand existing settlements, to try to torpedo any agreement that would cede more land to the Palestinians.

A new settlers group took out advertisements Friday in Israeli newspapers, headlined “Disaster,” which claimed that any further hand-over by Israel would challenge Zionist ideals, endanger Jewish communities and imperil Israel’s environment because “Palestinian sewage will be dumped in the Sharon” River.

Right-wing members of Netanyahu’s coalition have threatened to vote no-confidence in the government if a pullback from more than 9% of the territory takes effect; a few have said they will try to bring the government down if there is any withdrawal at all.

With the possibility of far-right defections from the governing coalition, Israeli radio talk shows Friday were rife with speculation that Netanyahu will bring any hand-over agreement to the parliament for approval, then immediately try to form a National Unity government with the opposition Labor Party.

But even as Israelis galloped ahead with conjecture about what might follow any new moves in the peace process, all sides also cautioned of the strong possibility of yet another setback.

Despite Arafat’s wary optimism, Palestinian negotiator Hassan Asfour said the chances for any agreement with Netanyahu should be viewed as slim.

“We should not expect anything positive” as long as Netanyahu remains in office, Asfour said.

As outlined in Haaretz, the package proposes a three-stage withdrawal over three months, with talks on a permanent peace settlement to begin immediately. Under the proposal, as reported, the Palestinians would have full control over 18.2% of the West Bank and partial control over another 21.8%, for a total of 40%. Palestinians now have full authority over 3% of the territory and share control with Israel over a further 24%.

The package covers two of the three “further withdrawals” Israel promised to make from the West Bank in last year’s Hebron accord. The size of the third withdrawal is apparently still a sticking point; the proposal says it will be studied by a committee.

In other provisions, the Palestinians would outlaw incitement against Israel and act in a systematic way to confiscate illegal weapons.