Elation gives way to worry on Barak

Palestinian officials, elated over the prospects for the peace process under the new Israeli Prime Minister, were "brought back to earth and back to business" when Mr Ehud Barak met the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, on Tuesday night, according to a leading Palestinian analyst based in Jerusalem.

Instead of securing early implementation of last October's Wye accord expanding the area of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank from 27 to 40 per cent, Mr Arafat was asked to discuss Israeli modifications to the accord which could indefinitely postpone the transfer of territory. A panel of representatives of the two sides is to meet today to begin a review of the Wye accord so Mr Arafat could take his decision in two weeks. "Now our officials are faced with the problem of insisting on implementation of the accords or giving in to Israeli modification. This has happened too often in the past, so if they give in, the Authority will lose credibility with the people," according to the analyst, Dr Ghassan Khatib.

"Officials knew there will be difficulties ahead, but under Barak they thought there was the possibility that things will move forward. Now they see that the difficulties are very serious . . . Matters will become clearer in the next few days, once news of the deliberations of the panel begins to leak out."

The Palestinians are angry over Mr Barak's repeated remarks that Israel will meet its commitments if the Palestinians do, echoing statements by the former prime minister, Mr Benjamin Netan yahu.

Palestinian officials are also "very worried" because Mr Barak failed to present details for the release of 500 of the 1,600 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, or about the opening of the long-overdue corridor between the West Bank and Gaza or to pledge a halt to Jewish settlement activities, Dr Khatib added.

In Dr Khatib's view, the Egyptian President, Mr Hosni Muba rak, "will take a strong line with Mr Barak" today during their meeting in Alexandria.

Mr Arafat yesterday met Mr Miguel Moratinos, the EU envoy, and telephoned the US President, Mr Clinton, in an effort to secure support for Palestinian demands.