Palestinians back Wye river deal with Israel

Ramallah, Oct 31: The Palestinian leadership has approved the Wye river land-for-peace deal with Israel, an official statement said. The accord signed last Friday by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provides for an Israeli withdrawal from another 13 per cent of the West Bank in return for stronger security guarantees from the Palestinian side.

The statement issued yesterday night said the meeting chaired by Arafat and the government had approved the agreement by a majority.

Some of those present had opposed the agreement, the statement said, without naming them.

It warned that any attempt to sabotage this “national achievement accomplished after two years of exhaustive efforts” would not be tolerated.