Clinton: peace process must go ahead

Albright Will Visit Middle East

President Clinton said it was now all the more urgent that Mrs Albright go to the region next week to push for the creation of a stronger security framework in which the peace process could proceed.

The Clinton administration now feels that any further delay to Madeleine Albright's first trip to the Middle East as Secretary of State could damage the peace process still further.

BBC Correspondent in Jerusalem, Rageh Omaar, reports on the aftermath of the bombing
Dur 2'33"

A State Department spokesman said there was a danger that a sense of hopelessness could take root in the region unless positive action was taken to keep the hope for peace alive.

American officials had been heartened by the creation of a new dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian security officials during the visit by the Middle East coordinator Dennis Ross after the last bomb attack in July.

President Clinton said it was important to build on that progress, despite the latest setback, "We believe we made some progress when Mr Ross went out there on the security cooperation, and I hope we'll see some more and I hope we'll see that this peace process can get going again. And I think it's all the more important for Secretary Albright to go."

It's clear that the main message that Mrs Albright will take to the Middle East next week will be aimed squarely at the Palestinians. In a statement she said that security cooperation had to be accompanied by unilateral Palestinian action to pre-empt such attacks and destroy the infrastructure of the groups behind them.

A number of senior Congressional figures have also urged her to increase the pressure on Mr Arafat. But State Department officials say the problems ahead are daunting and it will take more than one visit to restore Israeli security and revive the peace process.

Israel Arrests 69 Palestinians

The Israelis say they've arrested sixty-nine Palestinians in the West Bank. They were seized in villages under Israeli control. The Palestinians are suspected of involvement in terrorism.

Palestinian forces are reported to have arrested several members of the Islamic group, Hamas, whose military wing said it carried out the bombings.

Despite these arrests, the Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, has ruled out handing over more land to Palestinians so long as the Palestinian Authority failed to fight "terrorism".

"What will happen when we hand over more territory? They will also be turned into bases for this terrorist organisation and other groups," said Mr Netanyahu.

The decision has been strongly condemned by the Palestinians. "We consider it an official declaration of destroying the peace process and an attempt to obstruct Albright's visit and present her with a de facto situation," said a Palestinian spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdainah.

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