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North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Middle East Peace Process Stalls Amid Clashes Between Israeli Prime Minister and Palestinian Leaders

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat clashed openly on Monday, trading blame for the abrupt break-off of Sunday night peace negotiations. The tension between the two leaders highlights the complexities and challenges facing the Middle East peace process. Meanwhile, Russian President Boris Yeltsin expressed his concern about the slow pace of the peace process and offered to help negotiate a settlement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat clashed over the delay of Israeli troop withdrawals from the West Bank.
  • Barak accused the Palestinians of inflexibility toward his proposal to delay the final troop pullouts until the final round of peace talks.
  • A Human Rights Watch report condemned the Kosovo Liberation Army's (KLA) inability to stop violence against Serbs and Gypsies in Kosovo.
  • The report did not accuse KLA's ethnic Albanian leadership of directing the violence, but noted that local KLA units were involved in some cases.
  • The Middle East peace process has been stalled due to the inability of the parties to reach an agreement.
  • Russian President Boris Yeltsin offered to help negotiate a settlement in the Middle East and expressed concerns about the slow pace of the peace process.
  • KLA has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to stop violence against Serbs and Gypsies in Kosovo.
  • Human Rights Watch researcher Ben Ward stated that the violence in Kosovo is widespread and has been perpetrated by KLA members.

Statistics:

  • At least 20 people have died and 25 others are missing in South Korea due to monsoon floods.
  • In the Philippines, at least 16 people have died and 10 are missing due to flash floods.
  • In Vietnam, 16 people have died and 11 are missing due to flash floods.
  • The KLA consists of ethnic Albanian fighters who are seeking independence from Yugoslavia.
  • More than 16 NATO nations have backed British Defense Secretary George Robertson to be the next NATO secretary-general.
  • The remaining three NATO members are expected to give approval by Wednesday.

Sources:

  • Reuters
  • The New York Times
  • Human Rights Watch report
  • BBC News
  • AP News

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