DATE=10-6-2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-267583
TITLE=Clinton-Middle East (L)
BYLINE=David Gollust
DATELINE=White House
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton says he thinks Israel and the Palestinian authority are trying to fulfill security commitments made in Paris earlier this week, even though clashes between Palestinians crowds and Israeli troops continued Friday for an eighth consecutive day. VOA's David Gollust reports from the White House.
TEXT: U-S officials are clearly disappointed that the clashes have raged on despite agreements made by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at the U-S brokered Paris Summit on Wednesday.
But President Clinton says there have been efforts by security forces on both sides to implement the understandings, and it is too early to call the mediation effort chaired by Secretary of State Madaleine Albright a failure.
At a White House news conference, Mr. Clinton said Israel removed forces from the Temple Mount or Haram-ash-Sharif holy site in Jerusalem's old city Friday, and that there was at least an initial attempt by Palestinian police to restrain crowds after Muslim prayers.
The situation deteriorated into skirmishes in the old city between Israeli troops and rock-throwing Palestinians, and there was similar violence with deaths and injuries in the West Bank and Gaza.
Mr. Clinton said he was unsure whether security forces could have prevented the trouble, given among other things, that Palestinian activists had declared it a quote "Day of Rage" against Israel. He said it is too early to say that the security agreements cannot be kept:
///Clinton actuality///
I don't believe that we have enough evidence that the two sides aren't trying to keep the agreement they made. And I think we need to give this another day or two to see if we can calm it down. I was very afraid that this could have been the worst day of all, because of the other circumstances. So even though it was a very tough day, we do believe that both sides tried to take some steps to de-fuse the violence.
///end act///
Mr. Clinton said the violence -- which has raged almost non-stop since the Temple Mount visit last week by Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon -- "a sober reminder of the imperative" of getting on with the Middle East peace process.
U-S brokered peace talks have been deadlocked since July over the issue of Jerusalem. Mr. Clinton this week declared his readiness to work around the clock until his term ends in January to try to conclude a final-status peace accord one that U-S diplomats say is largely completed in other key areas. (Signed)
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