Palestinians refuse to meet EU without Arafat present
Palestinian politicians have refused to meet an EU peace delegation unless the visiting diplomats are given access to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Israel has refused to allow the EU group, which includes foreign policy envoy Javier Solana and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, to meet Mr Arafat, who is currently hiding from Israeli soldiers in a bunker under his demolished office in Ramallah.
Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said he and his colleagues have decided that if Arafat is not allowed to meet the foreign mediators, then they will meet no Palestinians.
The EU agreed to send the delegation to the Middle East because US efforts to secure a ceasefire and get both sides into talks have repeatedly failed.
Romano Prodi, the head of the European Commission, has urged the US to step aside as the main mediator in the conflict to make way for a broad alliance of nations, including the EU, Russia and several Arab states.
Earlier today, Brian Cowen said Israel has no right, under international law, to invade Mr Arafat’s offices and effectively hold him prisoner.
He called on both sides to stop breaching international law and to abide by UN resolutions aimed at restarting peace talks.
