DATE=10-12-2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-267825
TITLE=CLINTON-MIDEAST (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton is again engaged in telephone diplomacy in an effort to prevent a further escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence. He spoke by phone with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and was also trying to contact Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Correspondent David Gollust reports from the White House.
TEXT: White House officials say Mr. Clinton is greatly concerned that the latest incidents in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis could spiral into even worse violence, and in a telephone conversation has urged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to do everything he can to prevent an escalation.
Mr. Clinton, who spoke to Mr. Arafat from his private home in New York, questioned him about the incident in the West Bank town of Ramallah, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed by a Palestinian mob. Mr. Arafat is said to have told the President his police tried to protect Israeli soldiers they had first detained, but were then attacked by members of an angry crowd and that he regretted the deaths.
A spokesman said the President deplored the killings and any casualties that occurred in subsequent Israeli actions and intended to speak also with Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
The President also discussed the situation with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who had phoned to express condolences over the apparent terrorist attack on the U-S Navy destroyer Cole in Yemen.
U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan called Mr. Clinton from Lebanon and told him he intends to resume urgent mediation efforts between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
The renewed flare-up followed two days of relative calm and it came as C-I-A director George Tenet was in the region, hoping to convene a three-way meeting with Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs to try to control the situation. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/RAE
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