NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) -- The chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority announced on Friday that he was prepared to re-open talks with Israeli leaders on minor issues involved in the peace process. But he insisted that there could be no debate on the Palestinian demand for Israeli military withdrawal from the West Bank.

      Saeb Erekat insisted that the Israeli government had already made a commitment to withdraw from 13 percent of the territory on the West Bank, according to the terms of a proposal put forward by the United States. He said that commitment had also been accepted by American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

      But Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the 13 percent pullback would only take place if the Palestinian Authority agreed to crack down on terrorist operations on the West Bank.