The latest round of talks between Israel and Egypt over arbitration of the Taba border dispute ended in deadlock in Cairo Tuesday night, and not without rancor.
The chief Egyptian negotiator, Nabil Al-Arabi, accused Israel of footdragging. Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir retorted Wednesday by flaying the Egyptian media for, as he put it, presenting an “anti-peace” image of Israel.
The chief obstacles are the terms of reference for the arbitration panel and the composition of the panel itself. It would consist of three arbitrators–one Israeli, one Egyptian and a third party jurist who would be selected by the other two. The Israelis and Egyptians have been unable to agree on the third party.
The talks have been going on for some six weeks, alternating between Cairo and Herzliya. With the stalemate unlikely to be broken, the negotiating teams are expected to refer the dispute back to the top policymaking levels in their respective countries.
That could lead to renewed tension in the Labor-Likud unity coalition government. Labor has generally been flexible on the Taba issue. Likud prefers taking a tough line with the Egyptians.
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