Israel and the Palestinians appear to be edging cautiously toward a resumption of negotiations, with reports that US President Bill Clinton may make a last-ditch peace effort before he leaves office January 20. But the death toll mounted on the ground, as six more Palestinians were killed in a new burst of violence. Also casting doubt on the new diplomatic push were comments by would-be prime ministerial contender Benjamin Netanyahu, who made it clear that if elected he would not accept any deal that caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Barak might reach with the Palestinians.
After surprise overnight talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami said talks would resume next week. "Arafat told me and told President Bill Clinton he wanted to reach an accord by the end of his term," he told Israeli public television. The television, quoting sources close to Mr Barak, said that official negotiations would resume next week "in Washington or in the region."
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that Washington was exploring the possibility of holding "direct discussions between negotiators on both sides back here in Washington." US envoy to the region Dennis Ross met with Mr Arafat on Tuesday in Morocco and "found a strong desire to end the violence, stabilise the situation and find a way back to peacemaking," Boucher said. But Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo warned it was "premature" to talk of new negotiations.
