An Israeli Foreign Ministry document leaked today suggests an improves offer of land to the Palestinians as a way of re-energising peace talks.
The secret document, put together by the ministry's intelligence division and initially obtained by Israel Radio, did not call for an end to Palestinian violence as a precondition to negotiations, as demanded by Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon.
The document was not brought before the cabinet's weekly meeting today but appeared to suggest differences between Mr Sharon and his more moderate foreign minister, Mr Shimon Peres, on how to end a 10-month-old Palestinian uprising for independence.
Mr Peres was on a visit to South America when the document was released and has yet to comment on the paper, which seems to reflect positions stated by the prominent member of the left-wing Labour Party now in alliance with right-winger Mr Sharon.
Political sources told Reutersthe document, called Yasser Arafat: His Way, analyses the Palestinian leader's personality and behaviour patterns.
It says that by offering the Palestinians a ‘generous’ territorial package, while taking immediate steps improve conditions for Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Mr Arafat's trust in Israel would be restored.
The paper also suggests putting together an international and Arab financial aid package that would help rehabilitate the Palestinian economy, which has suffered in the 10 months of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
"The goal of the Israeli initiative would be to reduce Arafat's suspicions and to restore the trust in Israel's intentions. This initiative would provide Arafat with proof that Israel wants a serious agreement," the document says.
"Alongside the Israeli initiative, we must continue making clear to Arafat that the alternative is a continuation of the deterioration of the situation to the point of threatening his power and his position," the document continues.
The document was mentioned at the Israeli cabinet meeting today though it was not treated as a serious proposal. Mr Sharon was said to have re-iterated his absolute opposition to talks with Palestinians until peace has been restored.
Mr Alon Liel, the former director-general of the Foreign Ministry, told Israel Radio that the documents were put together by a researcher who reviewed all public and confidential information compiled by the ministry's different divisions.
Although the idea is not an official Israeli initiative, it immediately became an issue for ministers in Sharon's left-right coalition government.
"It is an embarrassment to the Sharon government... We have to take back what we gave and not give anymore [land], right-wing Tourism Minister Mr Rehavan Zeevi told Israel Radio.
But Science, Culture and Sports Minister Mr Matan Vilnai, also a member of the Labour Party, hailed the initiative as a way of returning to the negotiating table.
"The faster we reach this table the better it will be," Mr Vilnai told Israel Radio.
Meanwhile Two Israeli border police were seriously wounded in a drive-by shooting attack in the West Bank today as a renewed spasm of violence shook the Palestinian territories, army radio reported.
The two were fired on from a vehicle while they were driving near Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, the radio said.
Additional reporting AFP