Arafat holds Mideast talks with Jordan's king

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat discussed the surge of Arab-Israeli violence with Jordan's King Abdullah today, officials…

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat discussed the surge of Arab-Israeli violence with Jordan's King Abdullah today, officials said.

Mr Arafat's talks in the Jordanian capital, during a stopover on his way to South Africa, follow two days after Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres discussed with the Jordanian monarch an Egyptian-Jordanian proposal to curb the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank and to resume peace talks.

Mr Arafat has accepted the Egyptian-Jordanian proposal, while Mr Peres presented Amman and Cairo with Israeli amendments.

The plan drafted by Egypt and Jordan, the only two moderate Arab states to have signed peace treaties with Israel, calls for an end to bloodshed, the rebuilding of confidence and the resumption of an Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

READ MORE

At least 401 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 76 Israelis have been killed since a Palestinian uprising for independence began seven months ago during an impasse in peace talks. After his talks with King Abdullah, Mr Arafat is expected to fly to South Africa for an official visit.