Palestinian Leader Opposed to Peace to Visit Self-rule Areas

George Habash, head of a Palestinian group that opposes the peace deal between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization Organization, has expressed interest in coming to the self-rules areas to attend a meeting of the Palestine National Council.

Israel Radio reported that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s office in Amman sent the Palestinian Authority a list of 25 members, including Habash, who wish to attend.

Meanwhile, Israel has returned to the Palestinian Authority a list of 193 PNC members requesting permission to return to the self-rule areas, and demanded more information about the list.

Under the peace accords, the PNC must be convened no later than two months after the Palestinian Council, which was elected Jan. 20, takes up its duties, which is expected to occur shortly after the end of the holy month of Ramadan this week.

The PNC, according to the peace accords, is expected to take action to remove the anti-Israel clauses from the Palestine National Covenant.

The Peres government has vowed to freeze negotiations with the Palestinians if the PNC fails to revoke those sections of the covenant.

Peres said the Israeli government would permit all members of the PNC, even those opposed to the peace accords and those with Jewish blood on their hands, to come to the Palestinian self-rule areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in order to attend the PNC sessions.

Late last month, Nayef Hawatmeh, the head of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said in an interview with Israel Radio that he was ready to come from Syria to participate.