
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, August 9, 1993                   TAG: 9308090025
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: JERUSALEM                                LENGTH: Medium

3 PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATORS TO RESIGN

Three leading Palestinian negotiators in the Arab-Israeli peace talks left for Tunis Sunday to tender their resignations to Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat in what sources here described as a struggle over who will make decisions for the Palestinians.

Faisal Husseini, the leader of the delegation, Hanan Ashrawi, the spokeswoman, and Saeb Erekat, the deputy head of the delegation, left the Israeli-occupied West Bank Sunday morning for Jordan en route to PLO headquarters in Tunis, after deciding on Saturday to resign as a group.

Palestinian sources said the delegates are protesting Arafat's attempt to bypass them during Secretary of State Warren Christopher's visit last week.

But the threatened resignations also reflect a deep-seated tension between Palestinians inside the Israeli-occupied territories and those outside who fear they will be sidetracked in any future arrangement that gives greater power to those inside.

These strains were evident during the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, which was launched by Palestinians inside the territories and caught the PLO off guard.

Haidar Abdel Shafi, who initially served as head of the delegation but who recently has distanced himself from it, also was called to PLO headquarters Sunday for talks on the crisis.

Abdel Shafi predicted that the resignations would not be accepted.

If the resignations are accepted, it would be a serious setback to the peace process, but Palestinians here said the three delegates are all personally committed to the talks, even at a time when many others, including Abdel Shafi, are growing skeptical.

by CNB