VOL XL

No. 02

13 January 1997

The Political Scene

Israel has finally admitted openly that itwants to change the timetable for further redeployments in the West Bank agreed on by thePalestinians and the previous Israeli Government. US mediator Dennis Ross succeeded inpersuading the Israelis to compromise on their initial demand for a May 1999 deadline forcompleting the redeployments, but the Palestinians remain adamant that Israel must honorthe agreement it signed to the letter. However, if two...