From Wire Reports Arafat, Peres Work On Keeping Peace

PLO leader Yasser Arafat called the Israelis cousins Friday, and Israel’s foreign minister said the Palestinians are neighbors “we would like very much to be of help and assistance to.”

Underlining that atmosphere, Israel freed more Palestinian prisoners and handed over responsibility for education in the occupied West Bank to the Palestinian autonomy government.

But on the first anniversary of the Oslo accords that led to Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and West Bank town of Jericho, the specter of continuing violence weighed heavily on the friendly words.

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres repeatedly stressed that Arafat’s government must stop attacks by radical Palestinians that have killed five Israelis in Gaza since autonomy began in May if they want peace to work.

Peres was the most senior Israeli official to visit Gaza since autonomy started in May. He came for meetings with Arafat and Norwegian Foreign Minister Bjorn Tore Godal to mark the anniversary of the peace accords.

“It is in the Palestinian interest to fight terror,” Peres said.