Ultra’s release may foil Tenet peace mission

‘‘I hope that the Palestinian Authority will respect the court’s ruling at a time when it talks about separation of power and rule of law,’’ he said. But Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed the ruling would never take effect.

The standoff fuelled tensions that were already high after daily Israeli raids into Palestinian cities and towns. Tenet, on a mission to push for a restructuring of Palestinian security services, was due to meet Sharon.

Tenet will also press President Yasser Arafat to reform his Palestinian Authority as part of a diplomatic drive.

Sources said Tenet, who last year oversaw a short-lived truce-to-talks deal between the sides, would ‘‘listen and learn’’. The US, Israel’s guardian ally, sees the continuing violence as an obstacle to winning Arab support for possible military action against Iraq in Washington’s declared war on terror.

But Tenet’s visit could be overshadowed by wranglings over the ruling by the Palestinian Authority’s High Court ordering the release of Sa’adat. The PFLP said it was behind the assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi last year to avenge Israel’s killing of Sa’adat’s predecessor. The court said there was no evidence linking Sa’adat to Zeevi’s assassination.

Sa’adat is one of six Palestinians being held in a prison in Jericho under British and US supervision as part of an internationally brokered deal.

‘‘We have taken all the necessary steps so that it will not be possible to release a person who was involved in murder, ordered murder and whose organisation carries out murders to this day,’’ Sharon said, without elaborating.

Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said the release of Sa’adat would breach the Palestinians’ deal with Israel, the US and Britain and warned that the Jewish state would then feel free ‘‘to act according to its security interest’’. Paul Patin, spokesman for the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, said: ‘‘We’re watching the situation closely.

We take our responsibilities very seriously.’’

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said Arafat, who recently signed an order declaring the Palestinian judiciary independent and has promised to overhaul his own administration, should ratify the High Court’s ruling to free Sa’adat.

But Arafat’s senior aide Nabil Abu Rdainah said the court’s ruling was binding and did not require the Palestinian President’s endorsement. Sa’adat said by telephone from the Jericho jail: ‘‘I hope the Palestinian Authority would respect the court’s ruling.’’

In meetings with Palestinian officials set for Tuesday, Tenet was expected to press US demands for a revamp of their numerous security services, which Israel has accused of allowing and at times playing a role in attacks on Israelis. Arafat and his aides have denied blame for militants’ violence against Israeli civilians.

European Union foreign policy Chief Javier Solana said after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres on Sunday that ‘‘we are pencilling in the possibility of a conference’’ at the foreign ministerial level in the second half of July. Solana said he hoped a date for a declaration of a Palestinian state would be agreed during the regional conference, which is also being sought by the US. (Reuters)