THE Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, failed in a telephone call to the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, to agree on a handover of the West Bank town of Hebron, a Palestinian negotiator said yesterday.
"Netanyahu called Arafat last night and he reiterated his commitment to implementing the deals, but as far as we are concerned this is only a verbal commitment," a Palestinian peace negotiator said.
Israeli concern for the security of Jews in the West Bank city has held up its transfer to Palestinian self rule. Some 400 Jews live there among 100,000 Arabs. Palestinian officials had hoped to clinch a deal during a three day Middle East economic conference starting today in Cairo.
Israel Radio said Mr Netanyahu had hoped for a deal before he leaves tomorrow for a week long visit to the United States.
But Mr Arafat, asked about Israeli media reports that a deal might be two days away, told reporters in Gaza: "As usual, they are putting only appointments and appointments but nothing has been achieved till now.
He then flew to Cairo, where was to meet the Egyptian President, Mr Hosni Mubarak, and the US Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher. A senior Israeli official said the country's Foreign Minister, Mr David Levy, would attend the conference.
PLO officials said the Palestinian leadership doubted that Mr Netanyahu intended to close a deal soon since he refused to commit himself on paper to implementing accords signed by Israel's previous government.