November 16, 2001	Friday	Shaba'an 29, 1422

AL QUDS, Nov 15: Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told the UN General Assembly on Thursday there is support in Israel for a Palestinian state, remarks that immediately drew right-wing anger at home.

In Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli tanks and troops briefly raided two Palestinian-ruled towns, killing one Palestinian and wounding at least 14, witnesses and medical officials said.

The violence, shortly before a weekend visit to the Middle East by European Union leaders, dealt a new setback to any hopes of an end to more than 13 months of Israeli-Palestinian violence in which almost 900 people have been killed.

The dovish Peres, an architect of the Oslo interim peace accords, stressed in his address that establishment of an independent Palestinian state was not the formal policy of the coalition government led by hawkish Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

But his comments elicited a terse “no comment” from a Sharon spokesman and right-wing criticism.

“Yesterday, you would hardly find, for example, support for a Palestinian state,” Peres told the General Assembly.

“And although this is not yet a formal policy of the government of Israel, there is support for Palestinian independence, support for a Palestinian state.”

It was believed to be the first time that Peres, who has endorsed a Palestinian state in the past, has made such remarks during a showcase speech at the United Nations.

Peres’s original text contained no reference to government policy, and Israel Radio reported it was included in the last moment under pressure from Sharon’s office.

ARAFAT SAYS: Earlier, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat marked the 13th anniversary of his symbolic declaration of a Palestinian state by saying it would be an “absolute guarantee” for peace and stability in the Middle East.

In a pre-recorded speech broadcast by the Palestinian media, he also urged the UN Security Council to issue a resolution for sending a team of international observers “to make the ceasefire hold...and to lift the siege” on Palestinian areas.

Israel has repeatedly rejected Arafat’s proposal for outside observers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, believing they would side with the Palestinians.

Israel and the Palestinians are now awaiting signals of US President George W. Bush’s intentions from a policy speech which Secretary of State Colin Powell is due to make on November 19.

Bush also recently endorsed a Palestinian state as part of a US effort to keep Arab nations on board its anti-terror coalition.

Sharon himself has made public comments envisioning a demilitarised Palestinian state.—Reuters