Gaza City - President Yasser Arafat told a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organisation central council yesterday that the declaration of an independent state is "irreversible", according to a participant in the meeting.
"The Palestinian leadership will go forward (with the declaration of a state), taking into account the higher interests of the Palestinian people," Mr Arafat said, adding that he deplored the "lack of Israeli co-operation since Prime Minister Ehud Barak took power a year ago".
Israel said yesterday it would spare no effort to bring about the release of 10 Iranian Jews sentenced to prison for their part in an alleged Israeli spy ring in Iran.