Top Palestinian negotiator resigns as rift widens

THE chief Palestinian peace negotiator submitted his resignation yesterday, signalling deep divisions within the Palestinian camp.

This comes as leaders prepare for a major summit with the Israeli prime minister today Saeb Erekat, who serves as cabinet minister in charge of negotiations with Israel, sent a letter of resignation late on Thursday, a Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity.

The new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, asked Mr Erekat to allow him one week to respond to the resignation letter, the official said.

Mr Erekat has been a leading Palestinian negotiator with Israel since Madrid peace talks in 1992.

The official did not provide a reason for Mr Erekat’s resignation, but the Palestinian leadership has been rocked for weeks by a power struggle between Mr Abbas and longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Israel and the US have refused to negotiate with Mr Arafat and have pressed the Palestinians to give Mr Abbas more power.

Mr Erekat is not part of the Palestinian delegation due to attend a summit meeting this evening between Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

At the summit, the Palestinians will ask Israel to accept the US-backed road map peace plan, which aims to stop the fighting and set up a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

“We will ask for a clear and frank answer regarding the road map,” said Palestinian parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia.

Mr Qureia said he was not optimistic, noting that Israel has been sending tough signals, including the seizure of a Palestinian town in Gaza earlier this week.

Five Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy and two teens, were killed in Thursday’s raid.

“We should not expect something from a person who commits such attacks against the people,” Mr Qureia said.

Israeli troops continued yesterday to patrol the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun in an effort to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets across the fence with Israel.

Despite the military push, a rocket which was fired from Gaza landed in an open area of Israel’s Negev Desert overnight, causing no damage or injuries.

In other violence, a Palestinian was killed in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.

An army spokesman said soldiers shot the man as he ran toward an army post in an off-limits area.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli police were patrolling Jerusalem’s old city yesterday during Muslim prayers at a hilltop site holy to Jews and Muslims.

Israel barred Palestinian men under the age of 40 from the walled al-Aqsa mosque compound, fearing crowds of young men would gather to protest the arrest of the leader of Israel’s Islamic Movement and 14 of the group’s members.