'I NATION/WORLD The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 30, 1998 - 5 *Palestinians accept land turnover WASHINGTON (AP) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat accepted Israel's formula for turning over more land on the West Bank yesterday and voiced hope that an agreement could be concluded at a White House summit in mid-October. "Peace is a Palestinian need, Israeli need, Arab need, internation- al need," Arafat said. With momentum toward an accord growing, President Clinton and Arafat were looking ahead to a time when the United States may be able to "engage formally" with the Palestinians, White House spokesperson Mike McCurry said after the two lead- ers held hour-long talks. McCurry said the two leaders "talked at some length about the arrangements that will exist when the United States can engage formally with the Palestinian Authority." That, he said, may involve establishing a joint com- mittee that "could actually, formally work on, in effect, bilateral relations." The statement by McCurry suggested the Clinton administration could be preparing for Palestinian statehood, or at least upgrading U.S. dealings with the current Palestinian Authority that Arafat sees as a precursor to a state. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Arafat assured Clinton that he would try to counter terrorism against Israel. "He will exert every possible effort," Erekat said. Israel's pullback would cover 13 percent of the West Bank, on top of the 27 percent Israel promised earlier to hand over to Arafat's Palestinian Authority. It was proposed by the Clinton administration last winter to prod Israel to give up more of the West Bank. Arafat, who had claimed virtually all of the ter- ritory, agreed to settle for the 13 percent. Israel, meanwhile, proposed what its diplomats called "refinements." These included setting aside 3 percent of the land for a nature preserve, with Israel having a hand in maintaining security over the unde- veloped area. "We agreed to it to facilitate the negotiations" for an overall West Bank settlement, Arafat told reporters *in the White House driveway after his meeting with Clinton. Asked if an accord would be signed at the summit Clinton plans to hold here in mid-October, the Palestinian leader said, "We hope so." Clinton proposed the summit meeting and negoti- ating schedule during a three-way session with Arafat a + k y x yf f L c r 03 ,N W a. OMMM"09 AP PHOTO Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said yesterday that he has accepted a proposal under which Israel would turn over another 13 percent of the West Bank. Arafat hopes a West Bank agreement can be concluded in October. and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The schedule will send Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to the Middle East next week. With the territorial issue basically resolved, the focus of U.S. mediation has shifted to whether Arafat can satisfy Netanyahu's demands to disrupt terrorist cells on Palestinian-held land, confiscate weapons from militant groups and have the Palestine Liberation Organization strike all anti-Israeli refer- ences from its covenant. A White House official told reporters that the Palestinian leader had reviewed with Clinton his speech Monday to the U.N. General Assembly in which Arafat called for an end to terrorism. But the official declined to say whether they had reviewed any specific measures. Clinton talked alone with Arafat for about 20 min- utes, and together with senior aides, including Albright and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, for 40 minutes, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. McCurry said before the meeting that Israel's con- cern for security was "justified" and that "the presi- dent is determined to see an agreement arise" Afterward, he said that Israel's need for security was "a very real concern" and that Arafat understood that. On the contested West Bank, meanwhile, a car rigged with explosives blew up yesterday in an indus- trial area, killing an activist in the Hamas organiza- tion and wounding two other supporters of the Islamic militant group that claims responsibility for bloody attacks in Israel, Palestinian police said. Israel has been bracing for a renewal of lHamas bombings, and yesterday scaled its borders with the West Bank and Gaza before the onset of Yom Kippur, the most solemn day for observant Jews. Twenty-five years ago, Egypt seized the occasion to launch an attack on Israel. The two countries signed a peace treaty six years later. (free) Get 100 FREE minutes of AT&T Long Distance: Call anywhere in the U.S. for just 10 a minute. Choose an AT&T One Rate plan. It's time well spent. Live off campus? For great rates on your direct dialed, state-to-state calls from home, sign up for the AT&T One Rate" plan that's right for you. DO YOU LUKE TO TAKE PHOTOS? APPLY TO BE A DAILY PHOTOGRAPHER. CALL MARGARET OR WARREN AT 764-0563. 21140s "4i JupF G9ir.Hc pfs. M1 o l54. MICHIGAN EC - S " e real music.ce " phone: 663.5800 outh university (above goodtime charleys), AA mon.-thurs.: 9:00a-10:00p sundays fri. & sat.: 9:00a-11:00p 11:00a-8:00p I ' brQ' , .. q _. 8 9 i F +. ~\ j 4 Q With the AT&T One Rate* Plus Plan, calls across the U.S. are just 10¢ a minute, 24 hours a day. And the plan's just $4.95 a month. Or choose the AT&T One Rate* Off Peak Plan, and your calls are 10¢ a minute from 7pm--7arm Mon.-Fri. and all weekend long. 25¢ a minute all other times. And there's no monthly feel Sign up and get 100 FREE minutes. Call I 800 654-0471, mention offer code 59915 or visit www.att.com/college!np.html ..w . A~ im! o any aor j FEATUR1t$G THE NEW HIT SiNriI ~THE FIRST NIGHT" THE E4:AZiN' x1HN TITU-~TRACK WTH OR ANDY, 1Pi S 1ER PIATW4UM $hMASH HIT 'FOP YOVIIL . . ' A) f-I AT&T < I