Israel has rejected an American offer to present a paper to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington proposing ways to bridge gaps between the two sides on the issue of Palestinian autonomy.
The American proposal, which represents a new departure in the bilateral peace talks, reportedly was made by State Department officials at the end of last week to the Israel’s chief negotiator with the Palestinians, Elyakim Rubinstein.
American officials are not present at the bilateral talks, which are conducted at the State Department and are currently in their eighth round. But U.S. officials are fully briefed by both sides and, as sponsors of the peace process, act in an advisory role to all parties.
Israeli observers said the proposal appears to reflect a desire by the outgoing administration in Washington to step up its involvement and attain substantive progress before the inauguration of the new president next month.
The American offer may also reflect a lack of satisfaction in Washington with Israeli proposals on autonomy.
Israel, for its part, has complained about Palestinian hesitancy and lack of resolute leadership, which it sees as a key obstacle to swifter progress in the talks.
Israeli officials say the U.S. proposal, if implemented, would represent a deviation from the procedures agreed at the Madrid peace conference a year ago, which have governed the talks ever since.
They say American intervention at this stage would erode the principle of direct negotiations and could set an awkward precedent for the sets of Negotiations.
Despite the rejection of the American move, Rubinstein and his colleagues reportedly are optimistic about the talks, following a fairly positive reaction by the Palestinians to the latest Israeli formulations.
In Washington, Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi expressed gratification late last week at the Israeli positions.
In particular, she noted that the Israeli side now accepts an integral linkage between the negotiations now over an interim autonomy plan and talks on the final status of the territories, which are to begin three years after the plan is put in place.
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