Demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza yesterday differed from those of the past two weeks. Yesterday's protests were directed at the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, rather than at Israel. Dr Mahdi Abdel Hadi, the head of a Palestinian think-tank in Jerusalem, told The Irish Times: "A majority of Palestinians oppose this summit. We feel victimised, betrayed, used. The summit is being held to save [the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud] Barak" at the expense of Mr Arafat who is "falling".
Dr Abdel Hadi asked: "If he falls, what happens in Egypt and Jordan?" These are the only two Arab countries which have peace treaties with Israel. They could very well be called upon to sever relations by next Saturday's Arab summit, if the Sharm al-Sheikh meeting does not end the violence and produce political gains for the Palestinians. In the view of another Palestinian analyst, Dr Ghassan Khatib: "We are at a crossroads: if they [those attending the Sharm al-Sheikh meeting] do not manage to calm things down, the situation will get completely out of hand."
He gave the meeting only a 50/ 50 chance of success. "There is very serious US and Arab pressure on Arafat. The Arab governments are terrified. Their citizens begin with demonstrations of solidarity with the Palestinians and end in clashes with the police." In addition to a truce, the Palestinians "want clarification as to where the negotiations on the basic issues are going, in particular a commitment that the Israeli occupation of [East] Jerusalem will end", he said. The Palestinians continue to insist on an international commission of inquiry into the ongoing violence, rather than a US fact-finding commission because of what Palestinians perceive as Washington's "pro-Israel bias".
Dr Hanan Ashrawi, writing in the Jordan Times yesterday, castigated the US for its "wilful blindness, insensitivity, political cynicism" in its handling of the Palestinian question. Dr Ashrawi was incensed by an interview given by the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, in which she said "Palestinian rock-throwers have placed Israel under siege", adding that the Israeli army was defending itself.
Israeli officials said that Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah may be telling the truth when he says an Israeli businessman and reserve officer was lured to Lebanon and captured. Sheikh Nasrallah said the man was working for Mossad.
Israel initially said that Mr Elhanan Tannenbaum (54) had gone missing in Switzerland and been kidnapped in Europe, branding it a flagrant violation of international law.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, told Israel's Channel Two television: "Nasrallah id generally known as a very trustworthy person, so I am surprised by this whole fantastic story."
