T/I: 10:25:35

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met with Jordanian Prime Minister Abdel Salam al-Majali in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday (2/12) to discuss Israel's latest moves in the peace process. They were to discuss the Israeli cabinet's agreement to allow a limited troop

withdrawal from parts of the West Bank as well as the overall status of the peace process.

SHOWS:

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK, 2/12

EXT. WS armed security man on a roof next to a Palestinian flag;

WS honour guard in line for inspection;

helicopter arriving;

WS Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Jordanian Prime Minister Abdel Salam -Majali getting out of helicopter;

them inspecting the troops;

Jordanian Prime Minister Abdel Salam -Majali getting into car;

car arriving at Arafat's Head Quarters;

INT. Majali enters Palestinian president Yasser Arafat's office;

Arafat and Majali sitting for photo-op;

shaking hand;

1.44

T/I: 10:57:34

The Finnish foreign minister Tarja Halonen on Tuesday (28/10) met with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the West bank town of Ramallah.

The two men discussed the stalled Middle East peace process and the possibilities of pushing it forward.

SHOWS:

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK 28 OCTOBER 1997

VS of cars arriving;

ms of the Finnish foreign minister Tarja Halonen meeting and greeting;

VS of photo opportunity;

MS of the outside of the building;

SOT Halonen (in English): "The discussion we had was consisting first of all of the peace process, and the possibilities to go further, and I handed over a message from the meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union last weekend";

MS of the official parties leaving;

GV of exterior;

1.19

T/I: 10:19:42

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Knut Vollebuek on Wednesday (26/11) to discuss ways to ease the troubled Middle East peace process.

SHOWS:

NABLUS, WEST BANK 26/11

Cars arrives to fanfare;

Norwegian foreign minister Knut Vollebuek entering building;

vs photop Yasser Arafat and Vollebuek;

both leaving building;

SOT Arafat (in English): (reporter q: do you accept 6-8 percent of the West Bank as a proposal?) "Till now I have no proposal. (is a this a basis for negotiations?). The principle of speaking about further redeployment is very important to push forward the peace process.

SOT Vollebuek (are you saddened by the current state of the Oslo Accord) Yes I am. It's important that the Oslo Accord can be applied. It is a basis for negotiations for the process and I think it's important that the parties continue to use for a basis of negotiations."

Arafat leaving with aides;

1.54

T/I: 10:47:31

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine met Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah on Tuesday (25/11) and afterwards said he hoped there would soon be a "substantial" withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank.

Vedrine is on a three-day visit to the Middle East.

SHOWS:

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK, 25/11

French foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine out of car;

Vedrine into building

Vedrine and Yasser Arafat shaking hands;

vs meeting;

Vedrine and Arafat come out of building to speak to press;

SOT Arafat (Arabic, translator in french): ""France has a global role to play, morally and politically speaking. Europe also has a role to play so from the bottom of our hearts we are very hopeful."

SOT Vedrine (French): "The French position concerning the peace process is well known by everybody."

Vedrine and Arafat shaking hands;

walking to cars;

cars leaving;

1.57

T/I: 10:12:40

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said on Friday (31/10) that he would not go to 'final status' talks on the peace process unless Israel first pulled back its troops from occupied areas as promised. He was speaking after a Palestinian cabinet meeting on Thursday (30/10) night in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

SHOWS:

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK 30/10

MS Hanan Ashrawi getting out of car;

MS Yasser Arafat's car arriving;

MS Arafat getting out of car and entering building;

SOT Nabil Shaath, in English: "We are going to prove to Mrs Albright we are serious but given what the Israelis have declared over the past two days, one does not expect much results, on the contrary. The Israelis are insisting on blowing out and finishing this agreement by not going through the redeployement and not stopping settlements and not implementing the agreements they will be in effect sabotaging and destroying the peace process.";

MA Arafat PULLOUT to WS meeting;

CU Arafat in meeting;

VS meeting;

WS Arafat leaving building;

1.25

T/I: 10:39:04

After meeting Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Monday (27/10), Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov accused Israel of failing to honour agreements it had made with the Palestinians on self-rule.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Arafat, Primakov said Russia would do its utmost to get the peace process back on track, but this would only be possible if both sides abided by the agreements.

SHOWS:

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK 27/10

Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov's car arrival;

Primakov getting out of car;

CA media;

Primakov entering building;

photo op meeting Primakov and Arafat;

CU Primakov;

CU Arafat;

more photo op;

EXT building with huge picture of Arafat in front of the building; palestinian police in front of the building;

SOT Yasser Arafat (in Arabic): "The peace process is passing a dangerous curve. I appeal to president Yeltsin and to you personally to intervene in order to achieve progress since Russia is co-sponsor of the peace process.";

CA media;

SOT Yevgeny Primakov Russian Foreign Minister (in Russian) saying that Russia will do its utmost to get the peace process out of its current crisis: "the Palestinian people has a just cause to win back their land and create an independent state but this is only possible if the two sides abide by the agreements";

he accuses Israel of failing to keep to its end of self-rule accords with the Palestinians: "It's not just that the present Israeli government should abide by the agreements which previous governments signed with the Palestinians. It should also abide by the agreements which it itself signed referring in particular to the Hebron accord reached by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Arafat in January, and the Palestinian people in their just cause to win back their land and create an independent state";

2.21

T/I: 10:09:01

Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek, whose country hosted the secret talks which produced the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians, met Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat late Thursday (27/11).

SHOWS:

NABLUS, WEST BANK, 27/11

EXT. Arafat's Head Quarters;

Norwegian Foreign Minister's convoy arriving;

Norwegian Foreign minister Knut Vollebuek greeting Palestinian delegation ;

INT. Norwegian Foreign minister Knut Vollebuek meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat

photo-op;

the two delegations sitting to discuss;

EXT. presser of the two politicians;

SOT Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (un English):" I was discussing how to put forward the peace process, how to protect it by all means";

SOT Knut Vollebuek, Norwegian Foreign minister (in English): " I wanted to brief him with my various talks today with the Israeli Authorities and I felt that since I am going back to Norway, I should inform him (he means Arafat) and that's why i keep in contact";

Knut Vollebuek leaving;

Yasser Arafat getting back to building;

1.44

SHOTLIST:

Nablus, West Bank

1. Gunmen walking down street

2. Gunmen outside polling station handing guns to police officers

3. Close up of guns leaning against wall

4. Gunmen picking up guns

5. Tayseer Khaled, presidential candidate voting

6. Khaled leaving voting station

Nablus, Israeli-Palestinian checkpoint

7. Van driving through checkpoint

8. Palestinian man arguing with Israeli soldier

Hebron, West Bank

9. Palestinian farmer on donkey riding into polling station

10. Farmer with officials in polling station

11. Close up of official inking farmer's thumb

12. Farmer voting

13. Farmer leaving polling station with his donkey

Ramallah, West Bank

14. US Senator John Kerry arriving in Ramallah

15. Kerry meeting candidate Mustafa Barghouti (cousin of Marwan)

16. Barghouti entering room with Kerry

17. Kerry walking down stairs

18. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Senator:

"This is a very, very historic day, a very important day, and we're here because we have very, very high hopes for an election that can help move the process forward. The whole world wants to see peace in the Middle East. This election is a great step for democracy and we hope that throughout the day the Palestinians will have an opportunity to make their choice for the future."

19. Marwan Barghouti's wife Fadwa arriving at polling station

20. Fadwa voting

21. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Fadwa Barghouti, Wife of Marwan Barghouti:

"Although I have the authority to vote in the name of my son and husband (Marwan Barghouti) I have no permission to do so, and they cannot vote in jail. Nevertheless this is a day of democracy for the Palestinian people, and we are proud to show that the Palestinian people are alive and struggling for independence."

22. Fadwa walking away

STORYLINE:

Voting continued in the West Bank on Sunday as Palestinians held an historic presidential election - the first in nine years - to replace long time leader Yasser Arafat in a vote many across the world hoped would usher in a moderate leadership and revitalise the Middle East peace process.

In Nablus presidential candidate Tayseer Khaled cast his vote while militant gunmen put down their weapons outside the polling station before picking up their ballots.

At a Nablus checkpoint some Palestinians grew frustrated at their slow progress as they made the journey out of the city and towards polling stations.

In Hebron one farmer used his donkey to reach the polling station.

In Ramallah, US Senator and former presidential candidate John Kerry met leading challenger and democracy activist Mustafa Barghouti telling reporters that "The whole world wants to see peace in the Middle East".

Mahmoud Abbas, candidate of Arafat's ruling Fatah movement, was expected to easily win Sunday's poll.

But he was struggling to capture a clear mandate to push forward with his agenda of resuming peace talks and reforming the corruption-riddled Palestinian Authority. Arafat died on Nov. 11.

Israel, for its part, signalled that it is ready to work with Abbas. Senior officials said they would seek a meeting with Abbas shortly after the

election. They said Israel is ready to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a crackdown on Palestinian rocket attacks.

Polls opened at 7 a.m., with some 1.8 (m) million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem eligible to vote.

Voters began trickling into stations shortly after the polls opened, and activity appeared brisk in many areas within a half hour. There were no

reports of problems.

According to opinion polls, Abbas holds a clear lead over Barghouti.

Analysts cautioned, however, that Abbas would need a strong showing - perhaps up to two-thirds of the vote - to go forward with his agenda.

SHOTLIST:

1. Exterior Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters

2. Arafat at cabinet meeting

3. Mid shot Arafat and Russian ambassador to Israel Sergey Piskov, sitting to his left

4. Arafat smiling, pan to Piskov

5. Arafat and Palestinian officials emerging from building to address press

6. Various Arafat and Piskov and others embracing

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader:

"The building of the fence is a continuation of a crime. This racist and Zionist wall is eating up our land, it is taking 60 percent of our land. For that wall, what does that mean? It means that this (Israeli) government is only destroying and ending the peace process. I call on the whole world, the Quartet, UN, Arab League, the non-allied countries, all the world, will you continue watching these crimes committed against the Palestinian people?"

8. Arafat and Palestinian officials turn and go back inside

STORYLINE:

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday called the security fence between Israel and the West Bank "racist", and said that the Israeli government was "destroying and ending the peace process".

The outburst came after Arafat met with Russian ambassador to Israel Sergey Piskov, at his compound on the West Bank.

Visibly angered, Arafat claimed that the security fence was taking sixty percent of Palestinian land, and called on the international community to act against what he said were "crimes against the Palestinian people".

Arafat was responding to Wednesday's Israeli cabinet approval of the barrier that cuts deep into the West Bank with the goal of shielding key settlements - as well as Israel - from suicide bombers.

Palestinians accuse Israel of imposing the borders of a future Palestinian state without negotiation.

To appease the US, sections of wall around settlements in the midst of the West Bank will for now be disconnected from each other and from existing barrier sections built closer to Israel's pre-1967 border with the West Bank. The final route will be decided in the coming months.

To date, Israel has completed about 150 kilometers (90 miles) of fences, walls and trenches built close to the pre-1967 border but dipping slightly into occupied territory in some areas to incorporate Jewish settlements.

SHOTLIST:

Dehasha Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, West Bank

1. Long shot demonstration

2. Palestinians holding picture of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat

3. Palestinians lighting candles

4. People waving flags

5. Marchers listening to message from Abdel Aziz Rantissi, Hamas leader, speaking by phone from Gaza

6. Various of marchers holding vigil

Ramallah, West Bank

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yasser Abed Rabbo, Palestinian Information Minister:

"After two years of the beginning of the Palestinian intifada things are becoming worse. The Israeli government is not showing any will to start peace process negotiations again and they don't intend to end the war they have launched against the Palestinian people."

8. Rabbo leaving

STORYLINE:

Hundreds of Palestinians on Friday held a vigil to mark the second anniversary of their uprising against Israel and its increasingly tight grip on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In Bethlehem hundreds of marchers gathered for a candle-lit parade. The Biblical city is one of only two major towns in the West Bank which is not currently under an Israeli-imposed curfew.

Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi addressed the crowd by mobile phone.

The uprising broke out on 28 September 2000 when Israel's then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited the most-disputed site in Jerusalem -- what Jews refer to as the Temple Mount and Palestinians as the Haram as-Sharif mosque complex.

Rioting spread through the West Bank and Gaza Strip, gunmen fired at Israeli army positions from the crowds, and dozens of Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire.

The incident and the subsequent wave of violence soon became known as the second "intifada" following an uprising from 1987 to 1993 that ended with interim peace accords between Palestinians and Israelis.

In Ramallah on Friday, Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said he believed conditions had deteriorated significantly in the last two years and that Israel had no intention of ending its assault on the Palestinian people.

SHOTLIST

APTN

1. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath surrounded by media

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister:

"Well, I mean the questions discussed really related to the return to the peace process, the necessary support for our free elections, to have elections for presidential, legislative and local elections. That requires the voting of east Jerusalemites and that requires real security and pulling out of the cities and villages by the Israeli forces."

3. Various of Mahmoud Abbas, interim Palestinian leader, leaving

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister:

"And including the peace process, the road map with the disengagement...is this a new bypass to kill the road map? Or where should it be located, in what phase, the disengagement? In phase one? Let's say it's part of phase one. In phase two? Let's say it's part of phase two. Or let's say that it is the end, then everybody can take his position."

POOL

5. Powell walking out

6. Wide of media

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"I am very pleased to learn from them how seriously they are taking the upcoming election that will be held on the 9th of January. I am pleased with the level of coordination and cooperation that now exists between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to make sure that those elections can be held. The Israeli authorities said to me earlier that they will do everything that they can to commit freedom of movement and access for candidates as well as for voters on election day. Both sides seem confident that they will be able to work out a solution for the question of people living in Jerusalem to have their ballots counted as well."

8. Wide of media

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"The issue of security was discussed in both Jerusalem this morning and here in Jericho. In order for this process to move forward and for us to achieve our goals of a Palestinian state that will be living in peace side by side with Israel we have to make sure that terrorists are not committed to once again stop this process. Both sides understand the need for ending terror and ending the incitement to terror and providing security for people so they can live safely in their homes, where ever those homes may be in this land."

10. Powell leaving

STORYLINE

US Secretary of State Colin Powell met Palestinian officials in the West Bank town of Jericho on Monday.

Among the officials he met were Palestinian interim leader Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and the interim Palestinian Authority president Rauhi Fattouh.

The Palestinians asked Powell to ensure that Israel withdraw troops from West Bank population centres ahead of the elections on January 9.

They said he did not pass along any specific Israeli commitments regarding the vote.

Israel reoccupied West Bank towns during a 2002 military offensive.

Troops have since withdrawn from some areas, but continue to enforce travel restrictions on Palestinians.

Palestinians say they need freedom of movement for the vote.

Powell arrived in Jericho from talks with Israeli leaders, who assured him that they would do their utmost to allow Palestinian elections to take place, including easing travel restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In a sign of improving ties after four years of fighting in the region, Israeli officials also said they were willing to renew talks with the Palestinians on some issues, including security, and to coordinate the aftermath of Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in 2005.

Israel had refused to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11.

Following the talks in Jericho, Powell said that the United States would do what it could to ensure peaceful elections.

He also called on Israel and the Palestinians to renew their commitments in the "road map" peace plan, which was launched in June 2003, but never got off the ground.

The plan requires Israel to freeze settlements in the first phase and asks the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.

The United States supports the Israeli plans to the Gaza withdrawal, but has said it must be part of the road map.

The peace plan initially envisioned the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, but US President George W. Bush said recently that he'd be

pushing for Palestinian statehood in the next four years.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia has urged the United States to stick to the original timetable.

This demand was raised in Monday's meeting.

Powell said that while a Palestinian state should be established as soon as possible, it is up to Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace

deal.

He reassured Palestinian officials that the United States did not consider the Gaza withdrawal as a replacement of the road map.

SHOTLIST

APTN

1. Interim Palestinian Authority president Rauhi Fattouh enters hotel

2. PLO chief and interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen), enters hotel

3. US Secretary of State Colin Powell enters hotel, shakes hands with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, poses for photographers

4. Exterior of hotel

AGENCY POOL

5. Powell and Palestinian leadership seated, Powell and Abbas stand, shake hands

6. Cutaway of aids seated

APTN

7. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath surrounded by media

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister:

"Well, I mean the questions discussed really related to the return to the peace process, the necessary support for our free elections, to have elections for presidential, legislative and local elections. That requires the voting of east Jerusalemites and that requires real security and pulling out of the cities and villages by the Israeli forces."

3. Various of Mahmoud Abbas, interim Palestinian leader, leaving

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister:

"And including the peace process, the road map with the disengagement, is this a new bypass to kill the road map? Or where should it be located, in what phase, the disengagement? In phase one? Let's say it's part of phase one. In phase two? Let's say it's part of phase two. Or let's say that it is the end, then everybody can make his position accordingly."

POOL

5. Powell walking to microphone

6. Wide of media

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"I am very pleased to learn from them how seriously they are taking the upcoming election that will be held on the 9th of January. I am pleased with the level of coordination and cooperation that now exists between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to make sure that those elections can be held. The Israeli authorities said to me earlier that they will do everything that they can to commit freedom of movement and access for candidates as well as for voters on election day. Both sides seem confident that they will be able to work out a solution for the question of people living in Jerusalem to have their ballots counted as well."

8. Wide of media

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"The issue of security was discussed in both Jerusalem this morning and here in Jericho. In order for this process to move forward and for us to achieve our goals of a Palestinian state that will be living in peace side by side with Israel we have to make sure that terrorists are not committed to once again stop this process. Both sides understand the need for ending terror and ending the incitement to terror and providing security for people so they can live safely in their homes, where ever those homes may be in this land."

10. Powell leaves

STORYLINE

US Secretary of State Colin Powell met Palestinian officials in the West Bank town of Jericho on Monday.

Among the officials he met were Palestinian interim leader Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and the interim Palestinian Authority president Rauhi Fattouh.

The Palestinians asked Powell to ensure that Israel withdraw troops from West Bank population centres ahead of the elections on January 9.

They said he did not pass along any specific Israeli commitments regarding the vote.

Israel reoccupied West Bank towns during a 2002 military offensive.

Troops have since withdrawn from some areas, but continue to enforce travel restrictions on Palestinians.

Palestinians say they need freedom of movement for the vote.

Powell arrived in Jericho from talks with Israeli leaders, who assured him that they would do their utmost to allow Palestinian elections to take place, including easing travel restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In a sign of improving ties after four years of fighting in the region, Israeli officials also said they were willing to renew talks with the Palestinians on some issues, including security, and to coordinate the aftermath of Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in 2005.

Israel had refused to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11.

Following the talks in Jericho, Powell said that the United States would do what it could to ensure peaceful elections.

He also called on Israel and the Palestinians to renew their commitments in the "road map" peace plan, which was launched in June 2003, but never got off the ground.

The plan requires Israel to freeze settlements in the first phase and asks the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.

The United States supports the Israeli plans to the Gaza withdrawal, but has said it must be part of the road map.

The peace plan initially envisioned the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, but US President George W. Bush said recently that he'd be

pushing for Palestinian statehood in the next four years.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia has urged the United States to stick to the original timetable.

This demand was raised in Monday's meeting.

Powell said that while a Palestinian state should be established as soon as possible, it is up to Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace

deal.

He reassured Palestinian officials that the United States did not consider the Gaza withdrawal as a replacement of the road map.

SHOTLIST:

APTN

Ramallah

1. Abbas' Limousine arrives to polling station

2. Exterior of Muqata

3. Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) exits car, waives, enters building

4. Central elections sign

POOL

5. Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) at booth, walks to ballot box and casts vote

APTN

6. Abbas exits building

7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Presidential candidate:

"The democratic process is going very well. This demonstrates that the Palestinian people are thirsty for democracy, we hope the election day meets the expectations of the Palestinian people and delivers what they deserve."

8. Abbas re-enters building

Abu Dis, East Jerusalem, West Bank

9. Guards standing with automatic rifles

10. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) arriving to vote

11. Various of Qureia voting

12. Guard outside polling station

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister:

"Democracy is a kind of culture. It's a good experience. Our people want to show the world, want to show all the world who are saying that there is in the region only one democracy which is Israel. Our message is no, we are also democratic people and we want democracy too."

14. Qureia enters car

STORYLINE:

Palestinians held their first presidential election in nine years on Sunday, choosing a successor to longtime leader Yasser Arafat in a vote many across the world hoped would usher in a moderate leadership and revitalise the Middle East peace process.

Mahmoud Abbas, candidate of Arafat's ruling Fatah movement, was accompanied by his family as he cast his ballot at the Muqata, the Palestinian headquarters building in Ramallah where former leader Yasser Arafat was confined for most of the final three years of his life.

Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, was expected to win easily but was struggling to capture a clear mandate to resume peace talks with Israel and reform the corruption-riddled Palestinian Authority. Arafat died on Nov. 11.

By noon, only about 30 percent of 1.8 million voters had cast their ballots, and the Central Election Commission decided to keep polls open for

an additional two hours, until 9 p.m. (1900 GMT).

Abbas said on Sunday that the election was going smoothly and that the Palestinians were on their way to establishing democracy.

He said that he was pleased with reports of high turnout. Israel eased travel restrictions and took other measures to facilitate the voting in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

In Abu Dis, another senior and influential figure, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) also cast his vote.

Results of two exit polls were to be announced shortly after polls close.

SHOTLIST:

1. Yasser Arafat and Guy Verhofstadt enter

2. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

"I'd like once again to reiterate our commitment to the peace process and to its basis, (U-N) Resolutions 242 and 338, and we are absolutely ready to start implementing immediately negotiations of (a) permanent settlement. And we are also willing to start immediately the implementation of the Mitchell recommendations."

3. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Yasser Arafat, Palestinian President

"I'd like really, here, both to say that the meetings in the United Nations lately were very positive and very successful. I'd like to point in particular to the position taken by President Bush in his speech at the United Nations in stating his support for the state of Palestine."

4. Wide of podium

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Guy Verhofstadt, E-U delegation leader

"The European Union want to underline that, after this twelve day period of relative quiet and of relative calm period, there is a need to relaunch the peace process. And there is a good chance to relaunch the peace process. Not only because of the situation of the last twelve days but also because there is now, I think, in the international community, a general agreement on the fact that if you want to find a solution for the conflict in the Middle East, we have to create an independent Palestinian state. And I think there is also a general agreement inside the international community that if we can relaunch the peace process we have directly to go to what should be the final solution of the conflict: the creation of this Palestinian state."

6. Cutaway of Arafat

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Guy Verhofstadt, E-U delegation leader

"Certainly, we shall have now, also, tomorrow (Sunday) discussions with Israel to see how we can go further and how in a very short period we can start implementation of the (George) Tenet Agreement and of the Mitchell report -because there is also the Tenet Agreement as the first step to the implementation of Mitchell."

8. Arafat and Verhofstadt depart

STORYLINE:

The Belgian prime minister, leading a group of top European Union representatives, told Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Saturday that there is international support for the creation of a "viable Palestinian state."

Arafat, in turn, pledged to make every effort to "sustain and maintain" a cease-fire with Israel.

The truce was declared in September, but never took hold.

In a sign of easing of tensions, Palestinian officials said they were informed by Israel that troops were preparing to pull out of the West Bank town of Tulkarem by late Saturday.

Tulkarem is one of six Palestinian towns raided by Israeli troops last month, following the assassination of an Israeli Cabinet minister by Palestinian militants.

Since then, troops have withdrawn from four of the towns.

The E-U delegation meeting with Arafat in Ramallah on the West Bank was headed by the Guy Verhofstadt, whose country holds the E-U's rotating presidency.

Others in the group included E-U foreign policy chief Javier Solana and E-U Commission

head Romano Prodi.

Verhofstadt praised the American administration for its renewed involvement in the region.

Speaking at the United Nations last week, U-S President George W. Bush expressed his support for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The delegation had come from Egypt where they held discussions with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak earlier on Saturday.

Verhofstadt said that Mubarak and the European Union shared the same views on a quick implementation of recommendations by an international commission headed by former U-S Senator, George Mitchell.

He also referred to the cease-fire package negotiated by C-I-A director George Tenet.

That is supposed to lead into a multi-staged process recommended by Mitchell.

The Mitchell plan calls for a cessation of violence, a cooling-off period, confidence-building measures, including a freeze on construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and finally the resumption of talks on a lasting settlement.

The E-U hopes a speech expected on Monday from U-S Secretary of State, Colin Powell, will point the way to a renewed Middle East peace drive by the Bush administration, which has been criticised for neglecting the region.

The group was to meet Sunday with Israeli leaders.

Israel has in the past balked at European involvement because of a perceived bias against Israel.

LEADIN:

Palestinians have been reflecting on what the Oslo Accords have achieved since the first agreement was signed 25 years ago.

The interim peace deal was meant to start a process to resolve the conflict with Israel.

STORYLINE

Twenty-five years have passed since the Oslo Accords were signed in Washington DC.

Back then, the agreement seemed to herald the start of a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

It was overseen by late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Many saw the deals as paving the way to the creation of an independent Palestinian state, but their five-year transitional period expired without a resolution to the conflict.

It has left Palestinians disappointed and disillusioned.

"We lost almost everything; we lost Jerusalem, we lost the Right of Return. Palestinians did not win anything from Oslo," says Mutei Shihab, a Palestinian who lives in the US.

The first of the historic agreements was signed on September 13, 1993. A second accord, known as Oslo II, was signed in September 1995.

Under the agreement, the Palestinians would establish a self-governing authority, return hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the West Bank and Gaza, build state institutions and improve the standard of living of the Palestinian citizens.

But by 1998, the deal was fraying.

After 25 years, there is no final peace agreement and no establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Ramallah resident Rebhi Arouri blames Israel for the failure.

"The truth proved that the Israelis were not interested in implementing any peace process," he says.

Hanan Ashrawai, a senior Palestinian official, says the Oslo Accords had "many weak points".

"Israel exploited this weakness and also confiscated the political process and worked unilaterally to undermine it," she says.

That hopeful time in America 25 years ago has been replaced by a new low in Palestinian-US relations.

The Trump administration has cut millions of dollars in aid to Palestinians and has formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, much to the anger of Palestinians who claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Ashrawai says an "Israeli-American right-wing extremist racist coalition" is trying to "blackmail" Palestinians to give in to pressure.

"It is very clear that peace has become more distant," she says.

The White House has said it is working on a Middle East peace plan, but no details have yet been announced.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has already rejected the plan before it is released, saying the US is not an honest broker.

Twenty-five years after the first Oslo Accord was signed, Palestinians and Israelis are even further from a resolution to their conflict.

Ramallah, West Bank - 16 September 2018

1. Wide of Al-Manara Square in Ramallah

2. Various of streets

3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mutei Shihab, Palestinian living in the US:

"It (Oslo Accord) achieved 195 settlements for Jews, achieved that we almost lost resistance, we lost almost everything; we lost Jerusalem, we lost the Right of Return. Palestinians did not win anything from Oslo."

4. Mid of Palestinian policemen in street

5. Various of streets

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rebhi Arouri, Ramallah resident:

"The truth proved that the Israelis were not interested in implementing any peace process or peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It seems that Israeli society as a whole is interested in keeping the occupation and continuing with the humiliation and subjugation of the Palestinian people."

7. Wide of Hanan Ashrawi, senior Palestinian official, in her office

8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hanan Ashrawai, senior Palestinian official:

"The content of the agreement had many weak points, many lapses and defects. And now as a result of that we have reached a very critical stage, because Israel exploited this weakness and also confiscated the political process and worked unilaterally to undermine it, and also to impose what it wants, taking advantage of the transitional period, taking advantage of the absence of arbitration, taking advantage of the absence of questioning or observation over its actions or the existence of protection for the Palestinian side."

9. Various of Ashrawi in her office

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hanan Ashrawai, senior Palestinian official:

"Peace is in a very difficult situation because there is an Israeli-American right-wing extremist racist coalition that is disrespecting all rights, all international laws, all agreements and all the requirements of peace. And it is also trying to pressure and blackmail the Palestinian side in order to give in to this American pressure and the American threat and the unilateral steps of Israel, of course, from the settlement, annexation and 'Judaization' of Jerusalem. It is very clear that peace has become more distant."

11. Mid of street

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Tuesday, where he told media he felt "deeply motivated" to further the cause of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

After offering a wreath at Arafat's tomb in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Gutteres said he had a dream "to see in the Holy Land two states, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, living together in peace and security, mutual recognition."

Guterres arrived in the Middle East on Sunday for a three-day visit to the region, his first since taking office at the beginning of the year.

His meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders are aimed at encouraging the resumption of peace talks.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the U.N. Chief on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the United Nations, saying that it fails to check Palestinian hate speech, "absurdly denies" Jewish connections to Jerusalem and has not stopped arms from reaching Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Guterres will meet Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah later on Tuesday.

Guterres is due in Gaza on Wednesday.

Ramallah, West Bank - 29 August 2017

1. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering tomb of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat

2. Guterres bowing down next to Arafat's grave

3. Grave with wreath in front of it

4. Guterres' wreath in front of Arafat's grave

5. Guterres walking to talk to media at briefing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:

"I have a dream, a dream to see in the Holy Land two states, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, living together in peace and security, mutual recognition and allowing for this kind of suffering not to be possible anymore. And whatever I can do as Secretary-General of the United Nations to support what I believe is necessary, a serious political process aiming at creating the two-state solution and at the same time a serious process to improve the living conditions of the Palestinian people, everything that I will be able to do, I feel deeply motivated to do my best, thank you very much."

7. Sign reading (Arabic and English) Yasser Arafat Museum

8. Exterior of Yasser Arafat museum and grave

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide of presidential band marching near mausoleum

2. Mid shot of grave in mausoleum

3. Wide tilt down from mosque to mausoleum

4. Close up of sign on mausoleum

5. Wide exterior of guard outside mausoleum

6. Mid of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas (in red tie) and Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad arriving at the grave

7. Mid of mausoleum

8. Mid of Abbas laying wreath at mausoleum

9. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian president:

"We will continue with our quest to have the body of our martyr and leader Yasser Arafat re-buried in Jerusalem, where he always wanted to be buried; in Jerusalem, where he was born, In Jerusalem where he struggled. And now we all struggle to stay true to our pledge to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, god willing."

10. Wide of mausoleum

11. Mid of Abbas leaving

12. Tilt down mausoleum

STORYLINE:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas unveiled a mausoleum for Yasser Arafat on Saturday, in a pomp-filled ceremony that helped him draw on the continued popularity of his iconic predecessor as he headed into peace talks with Israel.

The mausoleum, made of glass and beige Jerusalem stone, is surrounded on three sides by water, and a piece of rail track is entombed underneath the former Palestinian leader's grave.

The water and piece of track are meant to symbolise the temporary nature of the grave, officials said, with Palestinians planning to rebury their leader one day in Jerusalem, their hoped-for capital.

Arafat died in November 11, 2004 in a French military hospital and was buried on the grounds of his West Bank headquarters, now used by Abbas.

The mausoleum measures 11 metres by 11 metres (120 square feet) to mark the day of his death. A mosque was built next to the tomb, and an Arafat museum is to open next year.

During the ceremony, Abbas laid a wreath in the colours of the Palestinian flag on the tombstone and honoured his one-time rival with a moment of silence.

In a brief speech Abbas pledged to reclaim part of Jerusalem for his people.

The fate of the city, claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital, is one of the most explosives issues in peace talks, expected to resume after a US-hosted Mideast conference in Annapolis, Maryland, later this month.

"We will continue with our quest to have the body of our martyr and leader Yasser Arafat re-buried in Jerusalem, where he always wanted to be buried; in Jerusalem, where he was born," Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said.

In another reference to Jerusalem, the tower of the mosque next to the mausoleum is topped by a laser light pointing to the city, just a few miles away, said Mohammed Ishtayeh, head of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, which built the site.

Drawing on the legacy of the charismatic Arafat may give a boost to Abbas as he heads to the Annapolis conference, expected to begin on November 26.

The somber Abbas does not enjoy the wild popularity of Arafat.

Abbas also faces a stiff challenge from the Islamic militant Hamas which seized control of Gaza by force in June, and claims he does not have the mandate to negotiate for the Palestinians.

In Saturday's speech, Abbas drew on the Palestinians' strong emotional ties to Arafat.

"Now we all struggle to stay true to our pledge to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, god willing," Abbas said.

On Sunday, the third anniversary of Arafat's death, a large rally is to be held at the West Bank compound, followed by a similar gathering Monday in Gaza.

Stung by a resounding defeat in the UN Security Council, the Palestinian president announced on Wednesday that they had joined the International Criminal Court to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.

The Security Council rejected a resolution setting a three-year deadline for Israel to withdraw from all occupied lands claimed by the Palestinians.

The move by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set the stage for a diplomatic showdown with the United States and drew an angry response from Israel.

Abbas has been under heavy domestic pressure to take action against Israel following months of tensions fuelled by the collapse of US-brokered peace talks, a 50-day war between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, a spate of deadly Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets, and Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access to a key Muslim holy site in Jerusalem.

Tuesday's defeat in the UN Security Council further raised pressure on Abbas to act.

"We want to complain. There's aggression against us, against our land. The Security Council has disappointed us," Abbas said as he gathered a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank.

After two decades of failed, on-again, off-again peace talks, the Palestinians have grown disillusioned and decided to seek international recognition of their independence in various global bodies.

While the campaign does not change the situation on the ground, the Palestinians believe the strong international support will put pressure on Israel to allow the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

Israel, which captured the three areas in 1967, says Palestinian independence can only be reached through negotiations.

It opposes the Palestinian diplomatic campaign as an attempt to bypass negotiations.

AP TELEVISION

Ramallah, West Bank - 31 December 2014

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Wide of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas laying a wreath at tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat

2. Close of Arafat's tombstone

3. Wide of festival celebrating the Palestinian revolution

4. Various of festival

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President:

"We got vetoed. This is not the first and not the last veto. We are steadfast until we get back our rights. They don't want to give us our rights. The rights are not given; the rights are taken away. The (United Nations) Security Council is not the end of the world, and the last session is not the end. What we have to say, and what we have to do, will begin tonight."

6. Boy holding Fatah flag held up in crowd

7. Various of Palestinian leadership meeting

8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President:

"I am signing this to join the International (Criminal) Court. We want to complain. There's aggression against us, against our land. The Security Council has disappointed us."

9. Cutaway meeting

10. Abbas signing papers

11. Cutaway of meeting

12. Pull out to wide of meeting

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mustafa Barghouti, member of Palestinian Legislative Council:

"In response to what happened in the Security Council, the Palestinian leadership decided to sign 20 different agreements including joining the International Criminal Court. This will allow every Palestinian from now on, and every human rights organisation in the world to hold the Israeli officials accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that they have committed in the Palestinian territories."

14. Exterior of Palestinian presidential office

SHOTLIST:

1. Tilt down exterior of Yasser Arafat's headquarters

2. Camera operators

3. Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) leaving headquarters

4. Various cars leaving compound (Abu Mazen in first car)

5. People in front of headquarters

6. SOUNBDBITE: (English) Nabil Abu Rdeineh, Yasser Arafat's spokesman:

"President Arafat, tonight, headed a very important meeting and the meeting issued a very important statement considering that there should be one authority on the ground and supporting the government in all its procedures, and helping and supporting the government in controlling the arms demonstrations, and a full commitment to the truce which we committed ourselves to it, and asking all the Palestinian factions to abide by the law and to accept these procedures. So far we urge the quartet (of powers backing the peace plan: US, EU, Russia, UN) and American administration to help the Palestinian government and Palestinian leadership to succeed in order to control things on the ground, hoping that the Israeli government will restrain from continuing their aggression against the Palestinian people."

7. Exterior of headquarters

STORYLINE:

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas held closed door discussions with Yasser Arafat and other top Palestinian leaders on Wednesday night in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The meeting continued long past midnight, with officials debating a proposed political statement "that can prevent internal Palestinian fighting and at the same time contains the Israeli anger" for Tuesday's suicide bombing, Palestinian Labour Minister Ghassan Al-Khatib said.

Sources inside said there were raised voices as leaders disagreed over how best to respond.

After Abbas left the meeting, Arafat's spokesman said the meeting issued "a very important statement considering that there should be one authority on the ground".

The spokesman urged the US administration and quartet of powers which backed the "road map" peace plan (The US, the EU, Russia and the UN) to help the Palestinian government and leadership succeed in its task.

Abbas had earlier ordered the arrests of suspects directly involved in a joint Hamas and Islamic Jihad suicide bombing that killed 20 people, but said he would not take broader action against militant groups without the backing of Yasser Arafat.

The bus bombing was the deadliest attack since US President George W Bush unveiled the "road map" peace plan in May.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved a series of pinpoint military strikes, some of which could begin immediately. Israeli Defence Force units have already taken up position around Ramallah.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell called Abbas after a Palestinian Cabinet meeting in Gaza City earlier Wednesday and told him he expected "immediate measures to stop the deterioration," said Palestinian Information Nabil Amr.

Until now, Abbas has shied away from confrontation with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, fearing it will a civil war among Palestinians. Instead he has tried to persuade them to halt attacks on Israelis.

His decision on whether to change course could determine the fate of the "road map" plan.

The two groups, along with Arafat's Fatah, had declared a unilateral cease-fire on June 29, but then changed the terms, saying they would avenge killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops.

Israel warned Wednesday it will resume a relentless hunt for terror suspects if Abbas does not take action, and new Israeli sweeps could trigger more Palestinian attacks, reigniting the cycle of violence and reprisal which has characterised most of the last three years.

SHOTLIST: NB: wrong slate on tape, story correct

1. Abbas's convoy arrives at Arafat compound.

2. Arafat compound

3. Mahmoud Abbas (a.k.a. Abu Mazen) and entourage walk out to greet press

4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian PM:

QUESTION: "Can you tell us about the result of meeting with Arafat?"

ANSWER: "The points of disagreement were ironed out and everything proceeded as normal."

QUESTION: "Does this mean you have bridged all the disagreements between yourself and Arafat?"

ANSWER: "Inshallah. (With God's will)"

QUESTION: "Did you you pull your resignation from the central committee of Fatah"

ANSWER: "No."

QUESTION: "Do you intend to pull it."

ANSWER: "I did not."

5. Car drives off

6. SOUNDBITE (English)Saab Erekat, Fatah central committee member

"Differences were ironed. I said from the beginning that we don't exaggerate the differences and we don't want io ignore that they are there. We were able to solve all problems and, er, President Arafat gave his full support to Abu Mazen. Abu Mazen gave his full support to President Arafat and we hope that we can concentrate now on the real issues of reviving the peace process, implementing the road map and going ahead with the government's programme."

7. Erekat walks off

STORYLINE:

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and his prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, settled their differences in a meeting in Arafat's office in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Monday, Palestinian officials said.

The two have been at odds since the three main Palestinian groups declared a temporary halt in attacks against

Israelis. The Palestinians followed that with a demand on Israel to release the estimated 7,000 prisoners it is

holding, but Israel has offered to free only a few hundred.

Critics in of Fatah, headed by Arafat, criticized Abbas, saying he was too soft on the Israelis. Abbas is Arafat's

deputy in Fatah.

Palestinian legislator Saeb Erekat said he and parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia arranged the Monday peacemaking

session, and the differences were resolved. Erekat said that the Palestinian leadership council, which includes PLO

heads and is controlled by Arafat, would continue to have the final say over contacts with Israel, underlining that

Abbas is not a free agent in his dealings with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Also, Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr said he would act as a liaison between Arafat and Abbas.

Israel and the United States are boycotting Arafat, charging that he is involved in terrorism, preferring to deal with Abbas instead.

Arafat reluctantly appointed Abbas as prime minister in April, giving in to international pressure to share power.

Since then, Arafat has moved to curtail Abbas' authority in peace negotiations and security matters.