Stalemate Over Jerusalem Threatens Mideast Peace Accord

Strategic Insights -

The Camp David peace talks have reached a critical point, with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat struggling to reach agreement on the most contentious issue: Jerusalem's sovereignty. Despite the difficulties, both leaders have chosen to remain in talks, indicating a willingness to compromise and find a solution. However, the Israeli and Palestinian positions on the city remain sharply divided, with Barak insisting on Israel's sovereignty over the entire city and Arafat unwilling to accept permanent Israeli control over East Jerusalem.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Camp David talks have stalled over the issue of Jerusalem's sovereignty, with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat holding sharply differing views on the city's future.
  • Barak has proposed a compromise under which Palestinians would have control over their own civil affairs in Jerusalem, but Arafat has rejected this, insisting that East Jerusalem must be under Palestinian control.
  • The two leaders have written letters to President Clinton expressing pessimism about the talks' progress, but have chosen to remain in negotiations despite this.
  • Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will lead American efforts to bridge the gap between the two sides while President Clinton is away for a two-day trip to Okinawa.
  • The Jerusalem impasse has blocked a comprehensive peace accord, with deals on other issues such as borders, settlements, and refugee returns remaining under discussion.

Statistics:

  • The 1967 war led to Israel's capture of East Jerusalem, which is home to some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
  • East Jerusalem has a population of over 200,000 Palestinians, who would be allowed to run their own civil affairs under Barak's proposed compromise.
  • The current talks are the first time Israeli and Palestinian leaders have tackled the most difficult issues directly.
  • President Clinton has bypassed previous stalemates, persuading Barak and Arafat to stay in talks after both leaders had written him letters expressing pessimism about the talks' progress.
  • Meetings are scheduled to continue at least until Clinton's return on Sunday night.

Sources:

  • [No source explicitly stated in the original text]

Note: The original text does not include a specific date, but based on the mention of President Clinton's departure for Okinawa and his expected return on Sunday night, it is likely that this took place in the late summer or early fall of 2000.