The European Union and Britain have today urged Israel to let Palestinian President Yasser Arafat travel to an Arab League summit in Beirut tomorrow.
A European Commission spokeswoman said EU leaders had made very clear at a summit this month that Mr Arafat should be given full freedom to travel to Beirut or anywhere else and without preconditions.
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British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was not in Israel's interest that Mr Arafat was prevented from going, adding the move would damage prospects of achieving peace in the region.
"It is obviously important that the Arab League Summit in Beirut this week should be discussing Crown Prince Abdullah's vision of full peace between the Arab world and Israel. Whether President Arafat attends or not, I hope very much that Arab leaders endorse Crown Prince Abdullah's initiative," he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Mr Shimon Peres said earlier today his government had not made up its mind on whether Mr Arafat will be allowed to attend the summit tomorrow. "A decision will be made but not right now, not this morning," he said. "Arafat has not done enough. But there is still time. The summit has not yet started," he said.
Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, in an interview published today, advised Mr Arafat not to go because Israel might not allow him back. "The Israelis might not allow him to return and they will use any incident as an excuse to destroy the remaining headquarters and the Palestinian Authority will be in exile," Mr Mubarak told Beirut's an-Nahar newspaper.
Mr Arafat himself told US television station ABC: "They are putting on my shoulders conditions. Do you accept it if you are in my place?"
"I'm making 100 per cent effort, but no one can get 100 per cent results except God."
Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's proposal offers Israel peace and normal relations with the Arab world if it returns all territory captured in the 1967 Middle East war and agrees to a just solution for Palestinian refugees.
PA