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DATE=8/17/2000

TYPE =CORRESPONDENT REPORT (L-Only)

TITLE=ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS

NUMBER=2-267417

BY-LINE= JENNY BADNER

DATELINE= JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet in Paris Wednesday in an effort to end the outbreak of violence that has left at least 55 people dead since it erupted last week. Jenny Badner reports from Jerusalem.

INTRO: Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, and Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat will discuss the latest turn of events with U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

It is hoped that Ms. Albright will be able to help the two the Israeli and Palestinian leaders bring an end to the fighting between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers.

Mr. Barak's office had earlier said the meeting was off after reports that Mr. Arafat had no intention of meeting with the Israeli leader. However, Mr. Barak's office later said the meeting in Paris will go on.

Mr. Barak, Mr. Arafat and Ms. Albright are also expected to hold talks in Egypt Thursday with President Hosni Mubarak.

The talks follow six days of bloody clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.

/ / / Natural sound gunfire up full then under text / / /

A tentative cease fire was to end the bloodshed, but instead, the death toll continued to rise.

Witnesses say at least three protesters were killed in the Gaza Strip near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim.

Israeli soldiers used attack helicopters and anti-tank missiles in the clash with hundreds of Palestinian protesters

A Palestinian was also killed in the West Bank town of Nablus where street battles raged at a Jewish religious site.

While violence raged in the West Bank towns of Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem, some Arab towns inside Israel have also been turned turned into war zones.

An Arab citizen of Israel was reportedly killed by police in Northern Israel, increasing the death toll of Israeli Arabs protesting in solidarity with Palestinians in the occupied territories.

Mr. Barak, met Israeli Arab leaders on Tuesday who are threatening to topple the Israeli government because of the tough crackdown in Arab towns inside Israel.

The riots in Israeli Arab towns were some of the worst in the 52 years since Israel was founded.

Mr. Barak set up a cabinet-level committee to address the needs of Israel's Arab citizens, a minority angered by years of discrimination, poverty and unemployment.

The clashes began last Thursday in Jerusalem's Old City, when Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited a site that is sacred both to Muslims and Jews. (SIGNED)

NEB/JB/KBK