TEL AVIV, Sept 20: A diplomatic tug-of-war continued on Saturday as Israel decided to send envoys to Washington to seek approval for its controversial West Bank barrier and the Palestinians rejoiced over a UN vote urging the Jewish state not to “remove” Yasser Arafat.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s top aide Dov Weisglass and defence ministry director general Amos Yaron are to discuss the route of the next section of the fence with US officials on Monday, public radio reported.

The two officials will defend the barrier, which is aimed at preventing infiltrations by Palestinian militants, but cuts deep into the West Bank and has sparked Palestinian accusations that it was a bid to pre-determine the border of their future state.

The Israeli government itself is divided over the route of the fence, which hardliners want to include several Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

According to public radio, the cabinet will make a final decision on the issue in a week’s time, after the two envoys’ return on Tuesday and once the US position has been clarified.

The White House has repeatedly voiced its displeasure at the barrier, even threatening economic sanctions on its ally.

The US visits come as Israel’s campaign to drive Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat into exile suffered a diplomatic blow on Friday, with the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voting against the expulsion threat.

The United States voted against the resolution calling on Israel not to implement its decision to “remove” the veteran leader, but the European Union for the first time presented a united front in supporting it.

Mr Arafat thanked the countries which voted in favour of the resolution and argued it demonstrated that “the position of the international community is to support Palestinian rights”.

His adviser, Nabil Abu Rudeina, welcomed the vote as a “slap for Israel”, but Mr Sharon’s spokesman dismissed it as “meaningless”.

“It is only a declaration and not legally binding,” the spokesman said of the General Assembly resolution, which was passed by a 133-4 vote, with 15 nations abstaining.

It followed renewed pressure on Yasser Arafat from US President George Bush, who charged the 74-year-old figurehead of the Palestinian people had “failed as a leader”, in comments which delighted Israel.

QORIE CRITICIZES US: Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qorie has described the White House stance on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat as “regrettable” and harmful to prospects for peace process with Israel.

The remarks, published on Saturday in the Palestinians’ second largest daily, Al Ayyam, appeared to widen a gap between Washington, which has attempted to sideline Mr Arafat, and the Palestinian Authority on how to move forward with Israel on the roadmap, derailed by ongoing violence.

On Thursday, US President George Bush charged that Mr Arafat “has failed as a leader” and is responsible for stalling the roadmap, which envisages a Palestinian state by 2005 and an end to tit-for-tat attacks.

“This is regrettable and does not serve the peace process. (Arafat) is an elected leader and represents the will of the Palestinian people,” Mr Qorie was quoted as telling Al Ayyam.

“We hope that President Bush and the American administration respect the will of the Palestinian people,” he added.

Mr Arafat appointed Qorie prime minister after Mahmoud Abbas resigned from the post in protest at what he called “obstructions” by the Palestinian supremo and Israel to his peace moves.

Next week, Mr Qurie is expected to form the new Palestinian cabinet, which officials say is likely to include a Hamas supporter and a moderate favoured by the US

Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said Mr Qurie could prove himself a peace partner only by cracking down on militant groups once he takes office.

Israel says it will not cooperate with any Palestinian government controlled by Mr Arafat.

Palestinians say Israeli army closures and operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip hamper any efforts to rein in militants, who Israel says are goaded on by Mr Arafat.

Israel stirred an international outcry last week when it announced a decision in principle to remove Mr Arafat as an obstacle to peace, without saying when or how it would act.

The decision helped bolster Mr Arafat’s stature and spawned massive pro-Arafat rallies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the latest show of support, over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Al Khalil marched on Saturday in support of Yasser Arafat. —AFP / Reuters