London road map meeting was cover for high-level talks

By Akiva Eldar and Sharon Sadeh, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service

29/3/2003

The meeting in Britain between Israeli and Palestinian officials, which began Wednesday, is actually a cover for a meeting between Likud MK Omri Sharon, one of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's closest confidants (and his son), and an envoy of Yasser Arafat.

Meanwhile, another meeting between Israeli and Palestinian officials is set to begin in Madrid, Spain,
Israel Radio reported on Friday.

The conference, which also includes American, European and Jordanian officials, will be discussing an international solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel will be represented by Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar, Labor MKs Dalia Itzik and Danny Yatom, and Balad MK Ahmed Tibi. The Palestinians will be represented by former security affairs minister Mohammed Dahlan and Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil
Sha'ath.

Other Madrid conference participants will include former United States ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, former European Union envoy to the Middle East Miguel Moratinos, and several Spanish government officials, Israel Radio reported.

Senior Palestinian sources say the meeting on the implementation of the U.S.-backed road map was organized following a request by Omri Sharon through Mohammed Rashid, a Palestinian businessman and confidant of Arafat, who recently visited Ramallah following a long absence from the territories.

Omri Sharon, the sources maintain, recommended that the gathering in Britain serve as a cover for secret meetings between the prime minister's son and an envoy of the Palestinian leader.

As a result of the request, Arafat decided to dispatch to Britain Jibril Rajoub, recently appointed national security adviser in the Palestinian Authority.

The Israeli contingent includes Knesset members Omri Sharon (Likud), Ephraim Sneh (Labor) and Isaac Herzog (Labor). The Palestinian team includes Palestinian Authority National Security Adviser Jibril Rajoub, and Palestinian Legislative Council member Ziyad Abu Zayad.

Labor lawmaker Ephraim Sneh said the sides were invited by the British government to present their positions and discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described the talks as "not academic," but also not official peace negotiations.

"The government in London and Labor Friends of Israel... arranged for a meeting... in which the top echelons of the British government in the defense and political arenas would be able to learn first hand on the situation between us and the Palestinians and what can be done," Sneh told Israel Radio in an interview from London.

The British Foreign Office said the government did not organize the talks but that Middle East Minister Baroness Symons is attending Friday's session.

Israel Radio reported that Likud MK Omri Sharon, who has met Yasser Arafat at his father's behest in the past, was seen laughing and joking with members of the Palestinian delegation in the VIP lounge of Ben Gurion Airport before the group flew to London.

Sneh said Omri Sharon was not necessarily participating in his father's name. "Omri Sharon is also a Knesset member in his own right, not just the son of," Sneh said.

Leading politicians and public figures from Britain and Europe will also take part in the meetings, which are being held in northwest London.

Preparations for the meetings were kept secret, and participants were asked not to discuss the planned event with the media. The two-day event begins Thursday at 6 PM, with discussions focusing on the peace process and ways of implementing the road map plan.

Meetings to be held Thursday will address two topics: "What is the role of the international community in promoting stability in the region;" and "What are the key military threats to the region's security?" On Friday, participants will discuss "confidence building measures [that might] restart progress on the road map," and ways in which "greater economic activity can be a catalyst for political rapprochement."

The event is called the "Rabin Peace Seminar," and is being sponsored jointly by the Yigal Alon Educational Trust, and the Association of Labor Friends of Israel.