Israel's conditional nod to Palestine state

The Israeli government yesterday grudgingly approved the US-backed roadmap for peace, officially recognising the right to Palestinian statehood for the first time, in a move hailed by the White House.

But the cabinet at the same time passed a resolution denying Palestinian refugees their right to return, dampening hopes the blueprint aimed at putting an end to the 32-month-old cycle of violence was well on track.The cabinet, which includes two pro-settler parties fiercely opposed to the roadmap, approved the blueprint by a 12-7 vote with four abstentions, official Israeli sources said.

But the second resolution on the refugee issue will be a direct challenge to the implementation of the roadmap, which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon forced through amid tough opposition even from some hardliners in his own Likud party.

The Palestinians were swift to express their displeasure at Israel.

"The Israeli approval with reservations is not enough. We want them to approve the roadmap completely, with no conditions, as the Palestinian side did," top aide to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Nabil Abu Rudeina, told AFP.

For his part, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath welcomed the Israeli cabinet's decision but remained cautious.

"We will see if this is a step to a full acceptance of the roadmap," he told AFP.

A high-ranking Palestinian official said that in spite of Israel's reservations to the roadmap, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas will meet Sharon today "to discuss how the implementation of the roadmap can be taken forward".

After the roadmap was published four weeks ago, Israel presented a list of 14 reservations, which Sharon described during yesterday's session as a "red line".

The resolution on the refugee issue which was coupled with the cabinet's approval of the roadmap was passed by an overwhelming majority.

Israel has always been opposed to the right to return, arguing that if 3.7 million Palestinians and their descendants returned to Israel, the state's Jewish character would be challenged.

Israel's reluctance to formally accept the blueprint had been perceived internationally as blocking peace efforts.

Analysts, however, were sceptical about the implementation of the roadmap on the ground.

Firstly, because Washington was pressing Israel to accept it after the Palestinian government of prime minister Mahmud Abbas had already accepted the plan unconditionally.

Secondly, because Israel could not allow itself to be held responsible in world public opinion for the failure of the new peace plan, drafted by the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia.

It also did not want to give Abbas a pretext to renege on his commitments under the roadmap, notably to rein in militant groups.

But given the composition of Sharon's government, which includes his Likud party and two extreme right parties opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, Israel's unconditional acceptance of the plan was not on the table.

In May 2000, Sharon's Likud party central committee voted to rule out a Palestinian state in the future, taking a harder line than Sharon, who has voiced support for such a state.

Sharon held off putting the roadmap to a cabinet vote until he received a public pledge from Washington on Friday that Israel's reservations to the roadmap would be addressed during its implementation.

But Washington also stressed that the plan itself would not be altered.

The cabinet's "yes" vote was only taken in light of the US guarantees and its lodging of 14 Israeli reservations to the roadmap.

The 14 objections have remained secret, but analysts say they involve demanding tighter security measures from the Palestinians.

Also revealing was a resolution passed almost unanimously by the Israeli ministers yesterday denying millions of Palestinian refugees their right of return to homes in Israel.

U.S. officials yesterday applauded Israel's acceptance the "road map" for Middle East peace, a move that could help pave the way for an Israeli-Palestinian summit attended by President Bush.

"It's an important step forward," White House spokesman Adam Levine said. "We look forward to working with all parties in the region to realize the vision of peace laid out by President Bush in his June 24 (2002) speech."

"We welcome this development and confirmation of Prime Minister Sharon's acceptance of the road map," the State Department said. "The president has affirmed his determination to move ahead and to make progress... using the road map as a practical guide."