Israel considering Arab peace plan

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has serious reservations about an Arab proposal for restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but has not rejected it outright, an adviser said today.

The Jordanian-Egyptian proposal for peace talks was still under consideration, said Raanan Gissin but he said that the government has serious reservations.

Under the plan, Israel and the Palestinians would implement a cease-fire deal brokered last October by then President Bill Clinton. Previous attempts to restore calm have failed, with each side holding the other responsible.

The Arab initiative would also require Israel to announce a complete freeze of construction in Jewish settlements. Once peace talks begin, the two sides would try to conclude a treaty within half a year, according to the proposal.

Jordanian officials have said they were willing to make modifications.

Gissin said Israel wants a clear-cut guarantee from the Palestinians that attacks on Israel will stop. Israel wants to conduct negotiations on a long-term interim agreement, not a full peace treaty, he said.

The demand for a complete freeze in settlement construction is ‘‘totally unacceptable,’’ Gissin added.

In Israel today, tensions remained high after the suicide bombing in the town of Kfar Saba, near Tel Aviv, yesterday killed two people, including the assailant, and wounded 50.

There were conflicting reports about which Palestinian group was responsible.

The Palestinian news Al Quds said the Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility in a leaflet that identified the bomber as Omar Abu Atewi, 22, from Gaza City.

However, Hamas denied the report an another group, the Popular Army Front-Return Battalions, sent a leaflet to a news agency, saying it was behind the bombing.

Israeli police, meanwhile, said another bomb that went off last night in the northern port city of Haifa, lightly injuring three police officers, was planted by Palestinian militants.

Israel has held the Palestinian Authority indirectly responsible for the attacks, saying Palestinian security forces are doing nothing to rein in the militants.