Palestinians say no to deal without Jerusalem

Palestinians say no to deal without Jerusalem
REUTERS

JERUSALEM, DEC 29: A top adviser to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said on Friday that Palestinians would not sign a peace deal with Israel that failed to give them sovereignty over all of Arab East Jerusalem or allow the return of refugees.

"We will not sign on any agreement that does not givePalestinians full sovereignty over Jerusalem, al-Haram al-Sharif and all other Islamic and Christian holy sites," Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters.

"We are demanding a just solution to the issue of refugeesaccording to (U.N. resolution) 194," he said, referring to a resolution that mandates the return of the refugees.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said on Friday that hewould not sign a peace deal granting Palestinian sovereignty over the site known to Arabs as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount, and that he would not agree to the right to return of Palestinian refugees.

A proposal by U.S President Bill Clinton last week torestart talks was reported to give Palestinians control over the shrine, while they would accept restrictions on the right of refugees to return to homes they Left or fled in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.