Arafat Decries Israel’s Claims For West Bank Buffer Zone

Just days before key talks with President Clinton, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Saturday denounced Israel’s claim that it must retain most of the West Bank for its own security.

“How can we accept it?” Arafat asked reporters, referring to proposals under consideration by the Israeli Cabinet that would leave at least 50 percent of the West Bank in Israeli hands.

Palestinians now control about 27 percent of the West Bank, including most of its Arab population centers.

The Palestinians insist that Israel carry out three troop pullbacks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a year ago in a U.S.-brokered accord, and say Israel can keep no more than 9 percent of the territory.

Netanyahu wants to combine the three pullouts into one, holding out the possibility of a smaller withdrawal and ultimately influencing the final borders agreed to.

He also has said he is no longer bound by the withdrawal timetable because the Palestinians have not fulfilled their promise to crack down on Islamic militants.

Clinton is to meet with Netanyahu on Tuesday and Arafat on Thursday.

Last week, Netanyahu’s Cabinet laid down 12 pages of demands, most dealing with security, that Palestinians would have to meet before an Israeli pullback.

The Palestinians have brushed off the demands as a ploy to deflect pressure from Israel and freeze the peace process.

The United States has said Israeli plans for ceding land to the Palestinians should be “credible,” but did not specify an amount.

Palestinian officials have said U.S. officials were pressing Israel to agree to a 12 percent to 15 percent withdrawal.