GAZA CITY, Dec 5: Palestinians have taken the next step toward carrying out the land-for-security agreement even though Israel has suspended implementation of the accord. The Palestinian Liberation Organisation's executive committee yesterday began preparing for a mid-December gathering in Gaza City under the auspices of United States President Bill Clinton. The meeting should confirm pledges that the Palestinians no longer seek Israel's destruction.However, a new crisis with Israel was already shaping up at a time when the current one was still unresolved. Under the Wye River peace agreement, the Palestine National Council (PNC), the Palestinians' parliament-in-exile, and various Palestinian groups are to meet on December 14.On that day, the PNC and the other groups are to ``reaffirm'' a letter to Clinton in which Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat declares that clauses of the PLO founding charter calling for Israel's destruction are null and void.Israel has maintained that the PNC is required to take avote by a show of hands. The Palestinians have said the Wye agreement does not call for a vote.``There will be no vote in this meeting,'' Zakaria Agha, a PLO executive committee member, said after last evening's meeting.After the PNC session, five percent of the West Bank is to be transferred from sole Israeli control to joint jurisdiction. David Bar-Illan, a senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday suggested that there would be no handover of land without a PNC vote.``It has been made clear that Israel will not withdraw troops if the Palestinians do not adhere to their commitments under the Wye agreement,'' Bar-Illan said. ``We will bring it up with the Americans.''As part of the Wye agreement, Arafat's letter listing the PLO charter clauses in question is to undergo a three-stage process of approval.Last month, the 18-member PLO executive committee reaffirmed the letter. On December 10, the 120-member Palestinian Central Council, which is comprised of seniorPalestinian officials and legislators, will approve the letter by vote, Agha said, citing Friday's decision.The final step is the PNC session at the Shawa Cultural Center in Gaza City on December 14. About 1,500 people will gather to hear speeches by Clinton and Arafat. The PNC has more than 500 members, including many who live abroad. Also attending will be members of various Palestinian groups. The PLO executive committee asked PNC chairman Salim Zanoun yesterday to begin sending out invitations for the two gatherings, Agha said.Ahead of the Clinton visit, some 2,500 Palestinians jailed by Israel for anti-Israeli activities prepared to launch a hunger strike to press for their early release.The hunger strike, to begin today will be accompanied by protest marches and commercial strikes, all aimed at sending a message to Clinton that the peace agreement cannot proceed until the dispute over the prisoners has been settled, said Issa Karakeh, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Association.
