Jerusalem, 25 June 2000
PM Barak: Palestinians trying to set conditions prior to summit; Israel insisting on sovereignty over Lake Kinneret and
surrounding strip of land
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
At the beginning of the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday),
25.6.2000, Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak said
that the dialogue with the Palestinians is currently taking on a
higher profile. This week's visits by US Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and peace talks coordinator Dennis Ross are
designed to help the US formulate an assessment of whether or not
it would be proper to convene a summit. The Prime Minister
pointed out that whereas we have responded positively to these
questions, the Palestinians are trying to set conditions and make
demands even before the summit convenes.
Prime Minister Barak noted that while there has recently been a
flurry of media reports about Israel's presumed positions, these
speculative and inaccurate reports do not correctly describe
Israel's current positions in the negotiations.
Regarding Syria, Prime Minister Barak said that Israel is open to
negotiations and stressed that there has been no change in the
Israeli position to the effect that we are insisting on Israeli
sovereignty over Lake Kinneret and a strip of land around it, the
width of which depends on future peace arrangements between the
two countries.
Regarding Lebanon, Prime Minister Barak noted that the UN has
finished identifying the "blue line" - the line regarding the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 425 - and added
that we are currently engaged in correcting such technical
problems as may have recently arisen. The Prime Minister
expressed the hope that a solution - which does not infringe on
normal life - will be found to the problem regarding Rajar
village.
Prime Minister Barak appointed Minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak as
Transportation Minister and as a member of the security
cabinet. The Prime Minister announced that final dispositions
regarding the Transportation and Tourism portfolios will be made
in the near future.