New demand from Sharon puts peace plan at risk

Concern is mounting that the American-backed "road-map" for peace between Israel and the Palestinians may be wrecked by demands from Ariel Sharon, Israel's Prime Minister.

Days before Colin Powell is due to arrive for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Mr Sharon said the Palestinians must renounce their demand for the "right of return" for refugees before he would enter negotiations on the road-map – despite the fact that the plan states that the "right of return" is an issue for negotiations at a later stage.

General Powell, the US Secretary of State, is scheduled to arrive on Saturday for talks with both Mr Sharon and the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who yesterday rejected the Israeli demand.

Suspicion is being voiced over Mr Sharon's motives in issuing his demand at a time when international pressure is growing for implementation of the road-map, which calls for an independent Palestinian state within three years.

A Western diplomatic source said: "Goodwill is imperative right now to get going on the road-map. But statements like that from the Israeli Prime Minister, together with what is going on on the ground, give the impression of a lack of goodwill."

At issue is the fate of Palestinians who fled or were forced out of former British-mandate Palestine in 1948, at the creation of the state of Israel. Some chose to leave; some fled under harassment from Jewish militias; others were forced out. Today they and their descendants number about 4 million, most of whom still live in refugee camps in Arab countries. Successive Israeli governments have opposed their return, arguing the influx would tilt the demography of Israel against Jewish Israelis. Mr Sharon called it "a recipe for the destruction of Israel".

Mr Abbas – appointed because America and Israel were refusing to deal with Yasser Arafat – is himself a refugee from 1948. He has insisted all his life that he will never abandon the "right of return", and he reiterated that yesterday. "Why would I drop the right of return for refugees? It is not my right to drop it," he said. "From the beginning there is a big question mark on the road-map because Israel doesn't want to implement it."

There was further violence in the occupied territories yesterday. A Palestinian baby died after being shot by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis. The Israeli army said it happened during an exchange of fire with militants.

* Syria said yesterday that the time was ripe to seek a just peace between Arabs and Israel, but insisted negotiations must build on the outcome of previous peace efforts and UN resolutions. Peace talks between Israel and Syria broke down in January 2000 over the future of the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in 1967.