ALTHOUGH not dispatched by the EU, the French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, has often spoken as a representative of Europe during his Middle East tour.
He is certainly perceived that way by Arabs and Israelis alike. Prompted by hostility to Mr, Chirac's visit, the right-wing Jerusalem Post said that "Europeans love getting angry at Israel" and speculated whether Europeans were motivated by dependence on Arab oil, by desire for trade with Iraq, Libya and Iran, or whether they were merely continuing a history of ill-treating Jews.
And when Mr Chirac travelled to Ramallah to address the Palestinian legislative council yesterday, a sign outside the former teachers' college which houses the fledgling parliament said: "Yes to a European and French role in the peace process". In their speeches, both Mr Chirac and the council speaker, Mr Ahmed Qurie, paid tribute to Europe's role.
Mr Qurie thanked the EU for providing financial and technical assistance for the elections which established the assembly last January. "When we welcome President Jacques Chirac," Mr Qurie said, "we are also saluting the European Union, the material and political support it has brought to the peace process. We salute the resolutions [regarding Palestinians] of the European summits, beginning with the Venice resolution in 1980 and including the resolution of the October 5th, 1996 Dublin summit."
Mr Chirac promised the Palestinian assembly that "Europe will continue to support you in the establishment of a state governed by the rule of law". He also promised that the EU would continue to be "the biggest aid donor to the Palestinian economy". This is one reason Mr Chirac is eager to see the closure of the Israeli-occupied territories lifted by ensuring that Palestinians are able to survive the strangulation of their economy, Europe in effect subsidises the closure.
Dr Hanan Ashrawi, the Palestinian Authority's Minister for Higher Education, hoped the EU would follow France's lead: "French intervention [in the current Hebron negotiations] would go a great way to reassuring the Palestinians," she said. "We would also like European involvement, but as a state France has demonstrated it can take decisions and implement them.
"France's policies are essentially European policies, but the Europeans have been quiet. The French are reminding the Europeans that they have a position, and that the peace process has terms of reference. It is a very healthy reminder for everyone, including the Americans."
The Palestinian Authority President, Mr Yasser Arafat rebutted Israeli claims that negotiations on an Israeli redeployment in Hebron were near completion. "As of five this morning the gaps were still very wide," he said. Israel wants to limit the negotiations strictly to Hebron.
But Mr Arafat said he had a list of 35 points which still needed clarification and he wanted France to help him.
. Mr Arafat will visit Ireland on October 29th and 30th, a PLO spokesman said yesterday in Dublin. He said Mr Arafat would meet the President, Mrs Robinson, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton and the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, during the visit.
