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Israeli minister dismisses peace push 'fantasies'
Reportedly won't remove W. Bank checkpoints
By Ari Rabinovitch, Reuters | August 11, 2007

JERUSALEM -- Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, was quoted as saying yesterday that talk of any peace deal with the Palestinians anytime soon was a fantasy, in a challenge to US-led efforts to revive negotiations.

In private conversations reported by Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Barak said he would not carry out plans by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to remove roadblocks in the West Bank as a gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But senior Abbas aide Saeb Erakat said yesterday the Palestinians were told that Barak will present a "map" to remove the checkpoints next week.

Barak's office stopped short of denying the Yedioth report in its entirety, but said: "There is no change in Barak's stance regarding the importance of the political process alongside our obligation to protect Israel's security."

A spokesman for Olmert declined to comment on the report in the mass circulation daily.

Barak, who as prime minister spearheaded talks with the Palestinians that ended in failure in 2001, was quoted in Yedioth as saying a peace deal would not be possible for at least three to five years.

Barak said that is how much time would be needed for Israel to develop defenses against rockets, which Palestinian militants regularly fire into southern Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

"You can't feed Israelis fantasies about an arrangement with the Palestinians anytime soon," Barak was quoted as saying.

Olmert met Abbas in the West Bank for the first time on Monday, beginning discussions on so-called fundamental issues for the establishment of a Palestinian state. They aim to reach an agreement on statehood principles within four months, when a US-sponsored conference is expected to be held.

Palestinian officials said after Monday's meeting that they had received assurances from Olmert that Israel would approve as early as next week the removal of some of the hundreds of checkpoints, roadblocks, and other barriers that restrict Palestinian travel in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, more than 20 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were wounded yesterday in violence sparked when Hamas forces arrested some 20 members and supporters of rival Fatah in one of Hamas's largest sweeps since it took over the territory.

Fatah and Hamas spokesmen said at least four senior Fatah members were taken into custody in the northern town of Beit Hanoun.

Also yesterday, in Jerusalem, a man grabbed a pistol from an Israeli security guard in Jerusalem's Old City and shot him, but was shot dead by another guard as he tried to flee, Israeli police said.

Rescue teams reported that nine other people were wounded in the melee. It was not clear if any of the wounded were tourists.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.