Stalemate in London Peace Talks as Israeli-Palestinian Dispute Persists

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is extending marathon peace negotiations into a second day, but so far, an agreement on further Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank in return for enhanced security cooperation from the Palestinians remains elusive. A key snag has arisen over Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's hesitancy to make additional security commitments unless Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu agrees to meet his territorial demands. The negotiations, aimed at reviving stalled talks and paving the way for final status discussions on the creation of a Palestinian state, have been ongoing for more than a year.

Key Takeaways:

• The Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank is a critical issue, with the Israelis willing to cede an additional 10 percent of the territory in exchange for Palestinian cooperation against extremists.
• Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has adopted an American compromise that would give him 13 percent of the West Bank now and the possibility of more in a final stage of negotiations.
• The negotiations are crucial as they relate to the deadline for reaching a final peace agreement, which is one year from today. Failure to meet this deadline may lead to a "dangerous vacuum in the peace process" and put the world at risk of "disillusionment and violence."
• The peace talks have been stuck for over a year, and despite U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's efforts, there has been no "compelling evidence" that the gaps can be bridged.
• Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has expressed willingness to move forward on the issue, but Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is withholding security commitments until his territorial demands are met.

Statistics:

• 27 percent of the West Bank is already under Palestinian control.
• The Israeli withdrawal would cede an additional 10 percent or so of the territory to the Palestinians.