Barak, Arafat Meet in Bid to Iron Out Peace Talk Differences

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat held a late-night summit Tuesday, hoping to boost peace moves mired in disputes over the transfer of land and expansion of Jewish settlements.

Barak’s office disclosed the three-hour meeting, which included Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy, only after it ended.

In a statement, the prime minister’s office said the meeting, hosted by Arafat, had taken place in a “friendly and optimistic atmosphere,” adding, “We shall overcome the obstacles which exist between the two sides and which will undoubtedly arise in the future.”

Israel Radio said the meeting took place in the West Bank city of Ramallah. A meeting scheduled for Sunday between the two Middle East leaders was postponed after its location in the West Bank city of Jericho became known.

Implementation of an existing peace deal has long been held up by disagreement over an Israeli hand-over of an additional 5% of the West Bank to Palestinian rule. Palestinians have not been happy with the parcels Israel sought to transfer.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were due to meet today over the long-delayed transfer, part of an interim deal Barak and Arafat signed in early September.

The sides have also been trying to forge by mid-February a framework peace deal on a permanent peace scheduled to be completed by September. But Palestinians decry Israel’s expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Israel renewed talks with archenemy Syria last week after a nearly four-year break, but it has said it means to ease Arafat’s fears that progress toward peace with the Syrians would be at the expense of the Palestinians.

Earlier Tuesday, Levy said he hoped Israel and Syria would sign a framework peace deal at their next round of negotiations in Shepherdstown, W.Va., starting Jan. 3.

The secluded spot away from the public eye, 75 miles from Washington, will enable President Clinton to take part if the need arises.

Israel signed framework deals with Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians before entering talks on a permanent peace.