Foreign Minister Shimon Peres accused the Palestine Liberation Organization Monday night of making moves “meant to travel well in Washington rather than make sense in Jerusalem.”
Peres, speaking at the closing session of the fourth annual Jeanne Kirkpatrick Forum at Tel Aviv University, referred to recent declarations by PLO leader Yasir Arafat.
He spoke on the eve of Arafat’s address Tuesday to the U.N. General Assembly, which is meeting this week in Geneva. Many observers believe he is conducting a peace offensive aimed at ending the American ban on talks with the PLO.
“The Palestinians must remember, as we do, that coexistence between the Palestinians and Israel must take place in the Middle East, not in North America,” Peres said.
“The Palestinians must not only talk peace, they must behave peaceably,” he said, calling for an end to the uprising in the administered territories.
Peres said a period of calm in the territories could be followed by free elections of Palestinian representatives, who could participate with Jordan in peace negotiations with Israel.
The Kirkpatrick Forum is named in honor of the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who was an outspoken friend of Israel in the world organization. Peres’ political rival, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir of Likud, addressed the forum Sunday night.
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