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That hopeful time in America 25 years ago has been replaced by a new low in Palestinian-US relations.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

Hebrew/English/Nat

In a decisive step towards implementing the Israeli-P-L-O peace accords, the Israeli cabinet decided Wednesday that three Israeli army bases in the West Bank would soon be evacuated, Israel Radio reported.

More than a year has passed since the historic handshake between Israeli Prime-Minister, Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader, Yasser Arafat. Although high hopes were held for a final peace between the two enemies, in practice, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is already far behind schedule.

According to the Oslo Agreement, the two sides should now have entered the second phase, tackling issues such as extending Palestinian authority into other towns on the West Bank, the holding of Palestinian elections and the redeployment of Israeli Army troops.

By July last year the Israeli army was supposed to have been 're-deployed', meaning withdrawn from its positions in or close to Palestinian towns to bases more directly protective of the settlements; and the Palestinians should have held an election.

Despite suicide bombings and violence, both the Israelis and the Palestinians say the process should go ahead and focus is concentrated on the West Bank where Israeli troops are much in evidence.

The hope now is for an election this July but the continued presence of Israeli soldiers in West Bank towns is hampering efforts.

SOUNDBITE:

(English)

"Because it will not be a democratic election. Nobody can agree to have elections under the weapon of the occupation force. That is to say that the agreement is clear and obvious: redeployment and then elections."

SUPER CAPTION: Ahmed Tibi, Arafat advisor

The West Bank is home to more than 2 (m) million Palestinians and 141,000 Jewish settlers.

SOUNDBITE:

(English)

"Tens of settlements should be evacuated during the interim phase because it's a source of friction. Israelis and Palestinians are being killed and shot because of this friction."

SUPER CAPTION: Dr. Ahmed Tibi, Arafat advisor

Since the signing of the Oslo Agreement in September 1993, 20 settlers and four Israeli soldiers have been killed in the West Bank in attacks by Islamic fundamentalists. In January this year, a young settler, Ofra Felix, was killed by gunfire as she and a young child were returning to their home, the settlement of Halamish.

While the settlers' presence effectively means Israeli troops must be there to guard them, it is the same settlers who provide the opportunity for armed Palestinian militants to carry out attacks.

The resulting bloodshed then helps confirm Israeli hardliners' opposition to the whole principle of the peace deal.

In order to prevent further bloodshed, Israeli politicians have begun to consider evacuating some of the settlements.

Any move of this kind will be strongly resisted by extreme right-wing settlers based in towns such as Hebron.

In this West Bank town, a handful of extremist right-wing, religious Jews live behind barricaded doors asserting their religious birthright to dwell in what they claim to be part of the biblical land of Israel.

Settlers are in daily contact with local Palestinian residents but walk through the city heavily armed and usually with army escorts.

SOUNDBITE:

(Hebrew)

"The reality unfortunately is that what we'll see is terror attacks and clashes between Jews and Arabs doubled to what it is today."

SUPER CAPTION: Aharon Dombe, spokesperson for the settler movement, Yesha.

Settlement expansion has caused widespread reactions especially from the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians claim that the settlements are being built on land which they expect to get back as part of a final peace deal with Israel.

They also charge that Israel is creating facts on the ground to avoid relinquishing land once negotiations for a final settlement begin in 1996.

SOUNDBITE:

(English)

"We have been promised until June. Okay. June is not too far. We have given many chances and we will give a last chance."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasser Arafat, P-L-O Chairman

The 1993 agreement with the P-L-O permits settlers to remain in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank through a five-year interim period of autonomy. The government says that it won't hold back what it considers the natural growth of existing settlements, but that it won't build new settlements.

However, it says violence against Israelis in the territories must be curbed.

SOUNDBITE:

(English)

"I think there is a consensus in the government. That it's in our interests to speed up the negotiations and bring about elections in the territories. We want this but if this involves ceding territories to the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Authority

must prove by its actions that it takes more drastic steps to curb these murderous attacks against the lives of the Israeli people."

SUPER CAPTION: Amnon Rubenstein, Minister of Education

Although consensus seems to have been reached by both parties, it remains to be seen what will happen next.

(FILE: Hebron, West Bank)

1. Israeli soldiers walking in the streets

2. Various of Israeli soldiers in the streets

(Jerusalem, recent)

3. Dr. Ahmed Tibi at desk

4. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Ahmed Tibi, Arafat advisor

5. Cutaway of Palestinian flag flying (Flag is actually in Jenin, West Bank)

6. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Ahmed Tibi

(File: Attack near Halamish settlement - Jan 06 1995)

7. Car with broken windshield

8. Pull out from blood inside car

9. General shots of the funeral of Ofra Felix, mourners and funeral and march

10. Pull out from close shot of Arab village to wide shot of nearby settlement

11. Arab resident of village in field

12. General shots of settlements

(FILE; Hebron)

13. Israeli flag flying in settler compound in Hebron

14. Settlers walking past soldiers

15. Close shot of young settler children

16. Soldier guarding children

17. Palestinian woman walking past soldiers

18. General shots of Hebron market

19. Settler buying products at Hebron market

20. Soldiers in the market

21. Settlers walking in Hebron

(Jerusalem - April 24 1995)

22. SOUNDBITE: Aharon Dombe, spokesperson for settler movement Yesha

(FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip)

23. SOUNDBITE: Yasser Arafat, chairman of PLO

(FILE: Jerusalem)

24. SOUNDBITE: Amnon Rubenstein, Minister of Education

25. File aerial shot of new settlements around the greater Jerusalem area

Natural Sound

More than 100 Jewish settlers broke through Israeli army barricades Monday and waded across a river into Jordan to protest at increasing Palestinian autonomy on the West Bank.

The protest was the latest in a series of incidents by settlers angry at their government's deal with the PLO signed last week in Washington.

The results of that deal began to be seen on the West Bank as Israeli soldiers began dismantling roadblocks in Hebron.

Israeli settlers use a hacksaw to cut through a chain securing a gate on the border between Israel and Jordan.

Moments later the settlers burst through into the no man's land between the two countries.

Waving Israeli flags and holding placards, the settlers waded across the shallow Jordan River.

Senior Israeli officers later arrived and angrily ordered the settlers to return. The settlers responded with chants of: "We shall not be moved".

After an hour on the Jordanian side, the group crossed back.

Two Jordanian army officers looked on but did not interfere.

The P-L-O already rules the city of Jericho, and settlers are concerned about a pledge from Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to consider enlarging the Palestinian-ruled enclave.

Most of the demonstrators live in Jordan Valley settlements and claim they would be in danger if more land in the area came under PLO rule.

On Thursday, Israel and the PLO signed an accord at the White House outlining a withdrawal of Israeli troops from much of the West Bank and providing for Palestinian elections.

The agreement did not address the status of the Jordan Valley.

Early signs of withdrawal came in the West Bank city of Hebron, where Israeli soldiers began removing army checkpoints.

Israel plans to begin pulling out of some West Bank towns and villages as early as next week.

Despite the removal of checkpoints, Hebron is likely to be the last West Bank city Israeli soldiers will leave because of the presence of 450 Jewish families living in the city centre.

According to the Israeli-Palestinian agreement signed last week, Israel will need another six months to pull out of Hebron unlike six other West Bank cities which will be evacuated sooner.

Patzael, Jordan Valley and Hebron, West Bank, October 2, 1995.

1. Settlers sawing through padlock at gate

2. Gates open

3. Settlers rush through

4. Various settlers wading through thick undergrowth

5. Various settlers cross river

6. Various settlers cheering and waving flags on other bank

7. Banner: "Jordan farm settlers thrown to dogs"

8. Various settlers crossing river

9. Policemen looking over cliff above river

10. Various of policemen talking to settlers

11. Various of general view of Hebron street

12. Israeli army crane lifting cement blocks

13. Israeli soldiers watching

14. Israeli flag flying on top of Israeli Defense Force check-post

15. Army equipment on side of road

16. Tow truck removing cement blocks

Hebrew/Eng/Nat

XFA

In the final run up to Tuesday's Israeli election, all the indicators point to a resounding victory for Ariel Sharon, the right wing candidate who has captured the hopes of many disillusioned Israelis.

An influential Likud member of the Knesset, Tsahi Hanegbi, speaking at party headquarters, was upbeat about Mr Sharon's chances.

He said Sharon has always been a staunch supporter of the Israeli state and pointed to his involvement in peace treaties with both Jordan and Egypt as proof of his ability as a peacemaker.

Despite new opinion polls released on Monday showing Sharon with an 18 per cent lead amongst voters, sitting premier Ehud Barak said he remained confident.

He was backed up by prominent Israeli writer Amos Oz, who addressed a press conference of left wing professors and academics, both Jewish and Arab, calling on the people of Israel to continue Yitzhak Rabin's legacy and vote for Barak and peace.

Oz said that the opinion polls were inaccurate and did not take into account undecided voters, who he said numbered thousands.

He warned Israelis to be wary of Tuesday's ballot, saying they would be making a critical choice between peace and war.

If Barak is to stand any chance, he will have to win over Israeli Arabs.

They represent one sixth of Israel's population, but plan to boycott the election in protest at the 13 Arab Israelis shot dead by Israeli security forces since the latest intifada began last October.

At the Knesset, Israeli Arab member Ahmed Tibi confirmed that Israeli Arabs would not cast their support for either candidate.

That will cost Barak dear - over 90 per cent of Israeli Arab votes went to him in the last election.

Speaking for the Palestinians, Ziad Abu Ziad, Minister in charge of Jerusalem Affairs, said they considered the election an internal Israeli matter but, he said that they would like to see someone who is committed to the peace process elected leader.

Israeli soldiers based near Beit El, adjoining the flash point West Bank city of Ramallah, have already cast their votes, a day ahead of the rest of the electorate.

Soldiers on active duty always vote in advance, leaving them free to carry out security and other duties on election day.

This year, Israeli security forces are under high alert for possible attempts by Palestinian militants wishing to carry out terror attacks on election day.

Meanwhile, many Israelis rushed to register to vote on Monday after a municipal strike left the Jerusalem registration office closed for more than a week.

Now, with less than a day to go before the vote, there were long queues and even longer delays.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I am optimistic and believe I will win. My way towards peace is the only way forward, that means setting clear borders between Palestinians and Israelis."

SUPER CAPTION: Ehud Barak, Israeli Prime Minister

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Ignore public opinion polls, there are hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are not yet decided. And I say that he or she will have to live with the fact, very much like the Gore/Bush elections in America, very much the Florida syndrome, who will have to live with the fact that his or her vote sentenced Israel and Palestine to another war. I don't envy him or her."

SUPER CAPTION: Amos Oz, Israeli writer

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We cannot give our confidence and our trust to Barak after we gave him at least 96 percent in the last election in 1999 and he neglected all our demands. It started in mistakes in the civil issue and finishing with very great mistakes shutting his police, his police shutting 13 of us."

SUPER CAPTION: Ahmed Tibi, Israeli Knesset member

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We consider the Israeli elections an internal Israeli affair and we don't want to intervene in the internal affairs of Israel. At the same time we are concerned to see in the office of Israel a Prime Minister who will respect the peace process, who will be committed to the peace process and who will do something in order to save the peace process from the problem which is facing it."

SUPER CAPTION: Ziad Abu Ziad, Jerusalem Minister, Palestinian Authority

Beit El, West Bank, Tel Aviv, Israel and Gai Gate, near Jerusalem 5 February 2001

Beit El, West Bank - 5 February

1. Soldiers arriving at polling station

2. Soldiers inside casting their votes

3. Close up of ballots being placed in ballot boxes

Gai Gate, near Jerusalem

4. Barak arriving at campaign stop

5. Handshakes with supporters

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ehud Barak, Israeli Prime Minister

7. Barak gets into car in convoy

8. Convoy departs

Tel Aviv - 5 February

9. Setup of press conference

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Amos Oz, Israeli writer

Tel Aviv

11. Exterior shot of Likud Party headquarters, pan to police tape

12. Sharon arrives and waves

13. Setup shot of Tsahi Hanegbi, Likud MK

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tsahi Hanegbi, Likud MK

15. Rear view of Sharon's car

Jerusalem - 5 February

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ahmed Tibi, Israeli Arab Knesset member

17. Setup Ziad Abu Ziad

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ziad Abu Ziad, Jerusalem Minister, Palestinian Authority

19. Exterior of Interior Ministry office

20. Close up of sign on wall

21. Wide shot of people waiting to be registered

Hebrew/Eng/Nat

Around 20-thousand right-wing Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to express their opposition to ceding any West Bank land.

The protest took place even though the Israeli Cabinet ruled earlier in the day that the Jewish state must keep large areas of the territory in future peace accords with the Palestinians.

The right wingers gathered in their thousands in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv to protest against the prospect of a pullout by Israeli troops from the West Bank.

The demonstrators carried signs saying "Clinton, you're no friend" and shouted slogans against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hundreds of police were stationed in the square, many around the memorial to the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated there two years ago.

Netanyahu's office released a 12-page summary of a Cabinet resolution on Wednesday demanding the Palestinians fulfill certain demands before further Israeli troop pullback in the West Bank.

The demands require the Palestinians to trim their police force and fire mosque preachers who inveighed against Israel, among other terms.

The Cabinet also insisted the Palestinian parliament affirm changes in its covenant to remove any references to the destruction of Israel.

The demands accompanied the Cabinet's decision that the Jewish state must keep large areas of the disputed territory in any future peace accord.

Some right-wing observers complain that neither side is behaving in a way that will lead to progress being made in the peace negotiations.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"You can not make a peace process when one side is making concessions and the other side is doing nothing and even keeping his covenant, which speaks about the destruction of Israel, those people want peace but they also want to live in peace and not to die for the sake of peace"

SUPER CAPTION: Michael Kliner, right wing member of the Knesset

The Cabinet's decision came a day after the ministers imposed conditions for Israel's delayed West Bank troop pullback.

That decision may have diminished the chances for the breakthrough the Clinton Administration had hoped for in talks next week.

U-S President Bill Clinton is to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu on January 20 and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat two days later.

Tel Aviv, Israel - 14 January 1998

1. Pan of demo

2. Wide shot of demo, with people waving banners

3. Set up shot of Kliner

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Kliner, right wing member of the Knesset

5. Wide shot of demo

6. Medium close up of banner

7. Man behind barrier

8. Medium close up of banner

9. Man on podium speaking

10. Wide shot of banner

11 Side shot of man in crowd listening to speaker

12. Wide shot of demonstration

English/Nat

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, reacting to reports that Islamic militants were ready to accept a cease-fire, said Sunday that an agreement would only work if attacks stopped in both Israel and PLO run areas.

Sources in the militant Islamic Jihad, or Holy War, which has carried out a number of suicide bombings, said the group was ready to consider freezing attacks until July 1, but only in Palestinian self-rule areas.

Tension is high in the West Bank town of Hebron where 400 hundred Jewish settlers live amid 80,000 Palestinians. An Israeli ambush of Islamic militants in the area on April 16 left three Hamas members dead and the town flooded with tight security.

Yet Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin chose Hebron to respond to reports that Islamic militants are willing to consider a temporary freeze on anti-Israeli attacks until July 1, but only in areas run by Palestinians.

The Islamic Jihad wants to keep their arms and demands the release of 50 Islamic Jihad members held in Palestinian jails.

But Rabin said that an agreement would only work if it were comprehensive and applied to Israeli territory.

SOUNDBITE:

Vis-a-vis the possibility of reaching an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and the Islamic Jihad or the Hamas - we support every agreement that will eliminate any preparation and carrying out of terror activities from the areas under the control of the PA either in the areas under their control or from the areas under their control against Israeli targets or Palestinian targets outside these areas into the sovereign soil of Israel or to the West Bank.

SUPER CAPTION: Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli Prime Minister

The Palestinian Authority led by Yasser Arafat is negotiating with Hamas over the proposal by the Islamic Jihad to stop Israeli attacks. Palestinian officials said that they expected Hamas' position to become clear after an upcoming meeting of the group's leader in Cairo.

1. Streets of Hebron

2. Israeli soldiers in the street

3. Zoom in to Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets.

4. Street shots.

5. Exterior of building where Rabin is speaking.

6. Rabin arriving for press conference.

7. Cutaway press.

8. SOUNDBITE: Yitzhak Rabin

9. Cutaway

10. Rabin leaves room.

11 Exterior Rabin on balcony.

12. Rabin gets into helicopter.

13. Wide of helicopter flying away.

T/I: 10:08:51

Hundreds of right wing Israelis gathered at the city square in Jerusalem on Thursday (11/9) to protest against the

Israeli-Palestinian peace prosses and against US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit to Israel.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, representatives of the Israeli left wing and the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat marked the four years anniversary to the signing of the Oslo agreements.

Arafat met with Lea Rabin, the widow of the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and other left wing activists. The two sides signed an agreement saying that the Israeli and Palestinian people are commited to countinue the peace process.

SHOWS:

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL 11/9:

VS demonstrators carrying banners;

people carring torches;

religious representative delivering eulogy to the victims of terror;

Vs speakers;

banners saying " Stop oslo"

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK:

Yasser Arafat's car arrives at parliament building;

Int Leah Rabin and Arafat photo op.

SOT Arafat: "The majority of the Israeli and Palestinian people are with the peace peopale as well as the majority of Arabs, so I am optimistic in spite of all the difficulties we are facing. The will and the determination of our 2 peoples will get the answer."

SOT Rabin: "I want to quote 2 important phrases; "we shall fight terror as if there is no peace process" and "we shall follow the peace process as if there was no terror" I wished so very much I could pray that this could have been the case today, but we go onfighting terror because we need to keep fighting terror."

Vs Rabin and Arafat signing agreement;

CU Rabin and Arafat holding up agreement.

3.10

T/I: 10:58:02

Palestinians throughout the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East

Jerusalem declared Tuesday (17/1) "National Anti-Settlement Day"

and held demonstrations in Hebron, Hebron, Ramallah and the

village of Kufr al-Deek. As the protesters marched toward nearby

settlements, violence broke out between them and the Israeli army.

The army dispersed the demonstrators with force and arrested

several Palestinian leaders. Elsewhere on Tuesday,

clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in the

Shawfat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. The troops responded to

Palestinian stone-throwers with tear gas and rubber bullets.

SHOWS:

WEST BANK AND JERUSALEM 17/1

EL-BIREH, WEST BANK

hundreds of palestinians marching and shouting slogans

palestinian flags

palestinians marching to jewish settlement of psagot

former mayor of el-bireh: abdul jawad saleh sot saying cannot have

settlements continuing as well as a peace deal

scuffles between israeli soldiers and palestinians

palestinian with loud hailer addressing crowd to applause

more scuffles between israeli soldiers and palestinians

palestinian on a donkey, pan to marching palestinians up hillside

israeli troops on hillside

more scuffles

teargas fired

arrest

more scuffles

marwan bargouti, west bank fatah leader, being dragged away by

soldiers

more scuffles

tear gas

EAST JERUSALEM

israeli soldier fires rifle

palestinian kids throw stones

israeli soldiers fire teargas

vs. israeli soldiers fire teargas

HEBRON

huge palestinian demonstration

man on shoulders of another man chanting

NABLUS

israeli soldiers breaking up march and arresting people

man with tied hands

KFUR AL-DEEK

gv large demonstration

poster

gv demonstration

JERUSALEM

Yitzhak Rabin sot: I believe that all those who came to madrid

peace conference and continue negotiations their intention is to

come to peace with israel - but the questions are - what is the

meaning of peace and what will be the cost - these are the two

issues in the discussions with syria and lebanon. with lebanon we

have signed a peace treaty and with the plo a declaration of

principle...extend the declaration...to the west bank

4.13

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot inside press conference

2. Rice and Abbas entering room

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State:

"I have said to the president (Abbas) that if the parties work very hard now on the Wolfensohn agenda that there is an agreement in sight because they, with enough will and creativity I believe this issues can be resolved and we talked about some of those aspects. We talked about the need to support the democratic process here in the Palestinian territories, and also the need to condemn and fight terror. It is a roadmap obligation of the Palestinian Authority to fight terror and to dismantle the infrastructure of terror."

5. Wide shot presser

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

"The obstacles that are on the ground are still there and we are trying to overcome them. Today we have had thorough discussions and have reached an agreement on the issues concerning the Gaza Strip. We hope that this a positive opening to all our people in Gaza because freedom of movement is very important and this will help the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip."

7. Cutaway

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State:

"The murder of Rafik Hariri is of course not something that the United States is investigating but that the United Nations is investigating. It is being investigated under the Security Council resolution because it appears, according to Mr Melles's interim report that the security services of one state may have been involved in the murder of the prime minister of another state, and that is very serious charge and it has to be taken seriously and it has to be fully investigated. I would just note that there is 150 US Security Council resolution that was sponsored by United States, France and the Great Britain to compel Syrian cooperation with the Melles investigation, but Mr Melles is of course not the investigator appointed by United States but it is the investigator appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, may I just note that is extremely important that Syria cooperate, they are increasing their isolation if they refuse to cooperate because these are very serious charges."

9. Various of Rice and Abbas shaking hands and leaving the room

STORYLINE:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continued an intensive round of diplomacy in the Middle East on Monday.

After meeting the Palestinian leader in Ramallah, she said that an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on easing restrictions on a Gaza Strip border crossing was "in sight."

Reducing restrictions on the movement of cargo from Gaza into Israel, and opening the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt are considered crucial to efforts to revive the economy of the impoverished coastal strip.

Rice said that the US supports the "democratic process here in the Palestinian territories" , adding that it is part of the roadmap obiligations of the "Palestinian Authority to fight terror and to dismantle the infrastructure of terror."

Referring to freedom of movement in and out of Gaza, Abbas said, "The obstacles that are on the ground are still there and we are trying to overcome them."

In response to a question about the U.N. probe into the assassination of

former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Rice said it's "extremely important" for Syria to cooperate in Hariri probe.

Rice made the remarks at the joint news conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

Earlier on Monday she met Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

Later Rice will attend the memorial service of Yitzhak Rabin, Israel Prime Minister who was assassinated 10 years ago, November, 1995.

LEAD IN:

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday to mark 15th anniversary of death of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid tribute to the former leader, who died aged 75 in 2004.

STORY-LINE:

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered at Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's tomb in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday to mark 15th anniversary of his death.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived to the place of the tomb to pay his respects.

He told the crowd that "Those thousands of martyrs from our people who sacrificed their lives for God and for the Palestinian cause, they did that for the sole purpose of liberating Palestine and we are still on their covenant and will continue to do so until the liberating of Palestine."  

Arafat died on November 11 2004 at a French military hospital, a month after falling ill at his west Bank headquarters.

A grassroots activist, he took over chairmanship of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) transforming it into a dynamic force that made the Palestinian cause known worldwide.

Arafat led fellow PLO fighters to Beirut in 1970 after they were driven out by King Hussein.

A series of attacks by various Palestinian factions were carried out in the following years, one of which included the murder of 11 of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

Arafat never discussed the attacks and his level of involvement was always disputed.

In 1982, he fled Beirut after Israel invited Lebanon to try and crush the PLO, he traveled to Tunisia and went into isolation.

It was in Tunisia that he secretly married his 28-year-old secretary, Suha Tawil, their daughter Zahwa was born in July, 1995, in Paris.

One of Arafat's most noted political achievements was his signing, along with Israel, of the Oslo Peace Accord in 1993, giving him control of most of the Gaza strip, and 27 percent of the West Bank.

He shook hands with the then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on the White House lawn in front of Bill Clinton, who was the American President at the time.

On July 1, 1994, he returned form exile, setting foot on Palestinian soil for the first time in 26 years.

On December 10, 1994 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.

By 2000, the Peace Accord had collapsed and Arafat struggled to keep Israelis and Palestinians committed to peace after Rabin's assassination five years earlier.

Violent attacks were exchanged in the years following between Palestinians and Israelis and there were calls by Western leaders, most notably then-US President George W Bush, for Arafat to resign as President of the Palestinian authority.

Although he ceded some power in 2003 to the first Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, he resisted calls for him to resign and remained leader until 2004, when he eventually fell ill.

Ramallah, West Bank - 11 November 2019

1. Wide of people gathered at Arafat's tomb to mark 15th anniversary of death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat

2. Mid of Palestinian holding picture of Arafat

3. Palestinian officials putting wreaths on tomb

4. Close of wreaths on tomb

5. Mid of people gathered at tomb

6. Wide of Palestinians gathered at tomb

7. Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas walking out and waving at crowd

8. Pan right from crowd to Abbas

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

"Those thousands of martyrs from our people who sacrificed their lives for God and for the Palestinian cause, they did that for the sole purpose of liberating Palestine and we are still on their covenant and will continue to do so until the liberating of Palestine."

10. Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas walking to Arafat's tomb

11. Wide of Arafat tomb

ARCHIVE: Washington DC - 13 September 1993

++4:3+

12. The hand shake of Rabin and Arafat on White House lawn in signing ceremony of Oslo agreement

13. Wide of crowd applauding

ARCHIVE: Ramallah, West Bank - 14 September 2003

++4:3+

14. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signaling victory "V" to crowd

15. Crowd cheering outside compound

16. Arafat blowing kisses to crowd

17. Old woman being helped by security guards to reach Arafat

18. Old woman kisses Arafat as crowd claps

SHOTLIST

1. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, delegation at table, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell walking in

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State

"For our part, the United States has pledged its full support for these talks, and we will be an active and sustained partner. We believe - Prime Minister and President - that you can succeed and we understand that this is in the national security interest of the United States that you do so. But we cannot and we will not impose a solution. Only you can make the decisions necessary to reach an agreement and secure a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State

"By being here today, you each have taken an important step toward freeing your peoples from the shackles of a history we cannot change, and moving toward a future of peace and dignity that only you can create. So thank you, thank you for your courage and your commitment."

4. Wide of Clinton, Abbas, Netanyahu, Mitchell

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

"President Abbas, as I said at our meeting at the White House with the President of the United States, the President of Egypt and the King of Jordan, I see in you a partner for peace. Together we can lead our people to a historic future that can put an end to claims and to conflicts. Now, this will not be easy. A true peace, a lasting peace will be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions on both sides, from the Israeli side and from the Palestinian side, from my side and from your side."

6. Mid of Clinton, Abbas, Netanyahu, Mitchell

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

"President Abbas, history has given us a rare opportunity is given us to end the conflict between our peoples, a conflict that has been lasting for almost a century. It's an unprecedented opportunity to end a century conflict. Well, there have been some examples in history but not many, but we face such a task to end a bloodshed and to secure a future of promise and hope for our children and grandchildren."

8. Mid of Clinton, Abbas, Netanyahu, Mitchell

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President

++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT AN AP TRANSLATION++

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that you are launching these negotiations today, we do know how hard are the hurdles and obstacles we're facing and we will face during these negotiations, negotiations that should, within a year, lead to an agreement that will bring the peace, the just peace of international law, international legality between our two people, the Israelis and the Palestinians."

10. Mid of Clinton, Abbas, Netanyahu, Mitchell

11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President

++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT AN AP TRANSLATION++

"We will work on all the final status issues - Jerusalem, the settlements, the borders, security, water, and also releasing the detainees in order to end the occupation that started in 1967, the occupation of the Palestinian territories and in order to create the state of Palestine that lives side by side with the state of Israel, and in order to end the conflict and end historic demands in the Middle East and to bring peace and security for the two peoples and all the peoples in the region."

12. Wide of Abbas and Netanyahu shaking hands, Clinton between them

STORYLINE

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton formally opened the first direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in nearly two years on Thursday, imploring the parties to ignore the long history of failed negotiations and make needed compromises to forge an agreement.

At a ceremony in the State Department's ornate Benjamin Franklin room, Clinton said the Obama administration was committed to forging a settlement in a year's time.

But, she stressed that the heavy lifting must be done by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"We will be an active and sustained partner," she said. "but we cannot and we will not impose a solution. Only you can make the decisions necessary to reach an agreement and secure a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people."

Netanyahu and Abbas pledged their seriousness to securing an agreement and overcoming decades of mutual hostility and suspicion.

"This will not be easy," Netanyahu said. "True peace, a lasting peace, will be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions from both sides."

"We do know how hard are the hurdles and obstacles we face during these negotiations - negotiations that within a year should result in an agreement that will bring peace," Abbas said.

Abbas called on Israel to end Jewish settlements in the West Bank and other areas that the Palestinians want to be part off their own state.

Netanyahu insisted that any agreement must assure Israel's security.

Thursday's negotiations are the first since the last effort broke down in December 2008 and are fraught with complications, including recent violence in the West Bank and Israeli settlement activity.

Expectations are low and US officials have said success may be only an agreement to hold a second round of negotiations.

Officials say they are hoping to arrange that meeting for September 15 in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik and top aides to the leaders are expected to meet later on Thursday to iron out final details of the next step.

Sitting at the top of a U-shaped table between Netanyahu and Abbas, Clinton congratulated the two for agreeing to resume negotiations, but warned of difficult days to come in the effort to create an independent Palestinian state.

She noted that two recent attacks on Israelis in the West Bank claimed by the militant Hamas movement underscored the difficulties facing the two leaders.

"But, by being here today, you each have taken an important step toward freeing your peoples from the shackles of a history we cannot change and moving toward a future of peace and dignity that only you can create," she said.

Hamas gunmen killed four Israeli residents of a West Bank settlement on Tuesday as Netanyahu, Abbas and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan convened in Washington.

And on Wednesday, hours before the leaders ate dinner at the White House, Hamas gunmen wounded two Israelis as they drove in their car in another part of the West Bank.

The talks will face their first test within weeks, at the end of September, when the Israeli government's declared slowdown in settlement construction is slated to end.

The Israeli government is divided over the future of the slowdown, and a decision to extend it could split Netanyahu's hawkish coalition.

Netanyahu has given no indication so far that it will continue beyond the deadline.

Direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations broke off nearly two years ago, in December 2008, and the Obama administration spent its first 20 months in office coaxing the two sides back to the bargaining table.

Despite the success in launching the talks, gaps between the sides are wide, distrust remains after years of violence and deadlock.

After listening to the MidEast leaders brought together on Wednesday night, US President Barack Obama pronounced himself carefully optimistic.

Complete rushes of this story can be found at Tape GEN2028

45 minute version of Story No. 656428

Arrivals, Comments ahead of direct talks on Middle East process

TAPE NUMBER: OA 266

SOURCE:DOS TV

RESTRICTIONS: none

DATELINE:September 2, 2010 Washington, DC

Remarks With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning and welcome to the State Department here in the Benjamin Franklin Room. I want to thank all of you for joining us today to re-launch negotiations to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I know the decision to sit at this table was not easy. We understand the suspicion and skepticism that so many feel, born out of years of conflict and frustrated hopes. The tragic act of terror on Tuesday and the terrorist shooting yesterday are yet additional reminders of the human costs of this conflict. But by being here today, you each have taken an important step toward freeing your peoples from the shackles of a history we cannot change, and moving toward a future of peace and dignity that only you can create. So, thank you. Thank you for your courage and your commitment.

I also want to recognize the support of Egypt and Jordan, which have long been crucial partners for peace. And we appreciate the support of the Arab League for the vision of a comprehensive peace embodied in these talks.

I also wish to thank former Prime Minister Tony Blair, the special representative of the Quartet, for his leadership and efforts. Mr. Blair's work in support of the institutional and economic development of the Palestinian people is critical to the success of these peace efforts. As we've said all along, progress on this track must go hand-in-hand with progress in negotiations.

And let me also, as represented by this overwhelming turnout of representatives of the press from across the world, express our gratitude to many friends and allies who have worked so hard for progress toward our shared goals. To those who criticize this process, who stand on the sidelines and say no, I ask you to join us in this effort. As President Obama said yesterday, we hear often from those voices in the region who insist that this is a top priority and yet do very little to support the work that would actually bring about a Palestinian state. Now is the opportunity to start contributing to progress.

For our part, the United States has pledged its full support for these talks, and we will be an active and sustained partner. We believe, Prime Minister and President, that you can succeed, and we understand that this is in the national security interests of the United States that you do so. But we cannot and we will not impose a solution. Only you can make the decisions necessary to reach an agreement and secure a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

Now, for many of us in this room, this is not the first trip to the negotiating table. I look around and I see veterans from all three of us. We've been here before and we know how difficult the road ahead will be. There undoubtedly will be obstacles and setbacks. Those who oppose the cause of peace will try in every way possible to sabotage this process, as we have already seen this week.

But those of you here today, especially the veterans who are here today, you have returned because you have seen the cost of continued conflict. You know that your people deserve the benefits of peace. The core issues at the center of these negotiations - territory, security, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, and others - will get no easier if we wait. Nor will they resolve themselves.

Success will take patience, persistence, and leadership. The true test of these negotiations will not be their first day and it will not be their last day. It will be all those long days in the middle, when the path toward peace seems hidden, and the enemies of peace work to keep it obscured. But we are convinced that if you move forward in good faith and do not waver in your commitment to succeed on behalf of your people, we can resolve all of the core issues within one year.

You have taken the first steps. You have both embraced the idea of a two-state solution, which is the only path toward a just, lasting peace that ensures security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians. I fervently believe that the two men sitting on either side of me, that you are the leaders who can make this long, cherished dream a reality. And we will do everything possible to help you. This is a time for bold leadership and a time for statesmen who have the courage to make difficult decisions.

Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President, you have the opportunity to end this conflict and the decades of enmity between your peoples once and for all.

And I want to conclude by just saying a few words directly to the people of the region. Your leaders may be sitting at the negotiating table, but you are the ones who will ultimately decide the future. You hold the future of your families, your communities, your people, this region, in your hands. For the efforts here to succeed, we need your support and your patience. Today, as ever, people have to rally to the cause of peace, and peace needs champions on every street corner and around every kitchen table. I understand very well the disappointments of the past. I share them. But I also know we have it within our power today to move forward into a different kind of future, and we cannot do this without you.

So now let me turn to the prime minister, who will make his remarks, followed by the president.

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Thank you, Madam Secretary. I want to thank you and President Obama for the many efforts that you have invested to bring us to this moment. My friend, Senator Mitchell, thank you for your consistent effort, for you and your staff's efforts to bring a lasting and durable peace to our region.

President Abbas, as I said yesterday in our meeting at the White House with the President of the United States, the President of Egypt and the King of Jordan, I see in you a partner for peace. Together, we can lead our people to a historic future that can put an end to claims and to conflict.

Now, this will not be easy. A true peace, a lasting peace, would be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions from both sides - from the Israeli side, from the Palestinian side, from my side, and from your side. But the people of Israel, and I as their prime minister, are prepared to walk this road and to go a long way, a long way in a short time, to achieve a genuine peace that will bring our people security, prosperity, and good neighbors - good neighbors, to shape a different reality between us. That's going to involve serious negotiations, because there are many issues in contention. The core issues that you outlined, Madam Secretary, are things that we have disagreements on, but we have to get from disagreement to agreement - a big task.

Now, two years ago, or rather, a year ago, in a speech I gave in Bar-Ilan University in Israel, I tried to outline the two pillars of peace that I think will enable us to resolve all the outstanding issues. And these are legitimacy and security. Just as you expect us to be ready to recognize a Palestinian state as the nation-state of the Palestinian people, we expect you to be prepared to recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. There are more than a million non-Jews living in Israel, the nation-state of the Jewish people, who have full civil rights. There is no contradiction between a nation-state that guarantees the national rights of the majority and guaranteeing the civil rights, the full civil equality, of the minority.

I think this mutual recognition between us is indispensible to clarifying to our two people - our two peoples that the conflict between us is over. I said, too, yesterday that a real peace must take into account the genuine security needs of Israel that have changed. They have changed since I was last here. You spoke about the veterans who are gathered here at this table. We've been here before. We fashioned the Hebron agreement and the Wye agreement. This was 12 years ago. In these 12 years, new forces have risen in our region, and we've had the rise of Iran and its proxies and the rise of missile warfare. And so a peace agreement must take into account a security arrangement against these real threats that have been directed against my country, threats that have been realized with 12,000 rockets that have been fired on our territory, and terrorist attacks that go unabated.

President Abbas, I am fully aware and I respect your people's desire for sovereignty. I am convinced that it's possible to reconcile that desire with Israel's need for security. We anticipate difficult days before we achieve the much-desired peace. The last two days have been difficult. They were exceedingly difficult for my people and for me. Blood has been shed, the blood of innocents: four innocent Israelis gunned down brutally, two people wounded, seven new orphans. President Abbas, you condemned this killing. That's important. No less important is to find the killers, and equally to make sure that we can stop other killers. They seek to kill our people, kill our state, kill our peace. And so achieving security is a must. Security is the foundation of peace. Without it, peace will unravel. With it, peace can be stable and enduring.

President Abbas, history has given us a rare opportunity to end the conflict between our peoples, a conflict that has been lasting for almost a century. It's an unprecedented opportunity to end a century conflict. Well, there have been some examples in history, but not many. But we face such a task to end the bloodshed and to secure a future of promise and hope for our children and grandchildren.

In the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, there is a story of how two brothers in conflict - brothers, Isaac and Ishmael - joined together to bury their father Abraham, our father, the father of our two peoples. Isaac, the father of the Hebrew nation, Ishmael, the father of the Arab nation, joined together at a moment of pain and mutual respect to bury Abraham in Hebron.

I can only pray, and I know that millions around the world, millions of Israelis and millions of Palestinians and many other millions around the world, pray that the pain that we have experienced - you and us - in the last hundred years of conflict will unite us not only in a moment of peace around a table of peace here in Washington, but will enable us to leave from here and to forge a durable, lasting peace for generations. Shalom. Salaam. Peace.

PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton, Mr. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, ladies and gentlemen, let me, in the first place, once again, extend my thanks to President Barack Obama and to Secretary Clinton and Senator George Mitchell and their teams for the unrelenting effort they exerted during the last month in order to re-launch the negotiation on the final status between the PLO and the Israeli Government.

Ladies and gentlemen, now that you are launching these negotiations today, we do know how hard are the hurdles and obstacles we are facing and we will face during these negotiations, negotiations that should, within a year, lead to an agreement that will bring the peace - the just peace of international law - international legality between our two people, the Israelis and the Palestinians. What's encouraging as well and what's giving us confidence is that the road is clear in front of us in order to reach peace. The road of international law is represented by the National Security Council and the General Assembly of United Nations, the Quartet, and the positions of the European Union, of the Arab Follow-up Committee. And all these position clearly for us represent international unanimity on the references, the bases, and the goals of the negotiations.

Ladies and gentlemen, also we're not starting from scratch, because we had many rounds of negotiations between the PLO and the Israeli Government, and we studied all horizons and we also defined and determined all the pending issues. We will work on all the final status issues - Jerusalem, the settlements, the borders, security, water, and also releasing the detainees - in order to end the occupation that started 1967, the occupation of the Palestinian territories, and in order to create the state of Palestine that lives side by side with the state of Israel, in order to end the conflict and end the historic demands in the Middle East, and to bring peace and security for the two people and all the peoples of the region.

Once again, we want to state our commitment to follow on all our engagement, including security and ending incitement. And we call on the Israeli Government to move forward with its commitment to end all settlement activities and completely lift the embargo over the Gaza Strip and end all form of incitement.

Also, with respect to security, you do know, ladies and gentlemen, that we have security apparatuses that are still being built, that are still young, but that are doing everything that is expected from them. Yesterday, we condemned the operations that were carried. We did not only condemn them, but we also followed on the perpetrators and we were able to find the car that was used and to arrest those who sold and bought the car. And we will continue all our effort to take security measures in order to find the perpetrators. We consider that security is of essence, is vital for both of us, and we cannot allow for anyone to do anything that would undermine your security and our security. And we therefore do not only condemn, but we keep on working seriously. Security is fundamental and very sensitive.

Ladies and gentlemen, once again, I want to state today what I said at the White House meeting yesterday in front of President Obama, President Mubarak, and King Abdullah. And we do believe that their participation was of essence and was very strong and represented the belief of Jordan and Egypt in peace. These two states alongside with other Arab states do believe that peace is a vital interest not only for the Palestinians and the Israelis, but also for all the peoples in the region and for the United States, as President Obama said when he said that the creation of a Palestinian state, or the two-state vision, is a vital national American interest.

The PLO participates in these negotiations with good intentions and seriousness and is adamant about bringing just peace that guarantees freedom and independence for the Palestinian people who is attached to his land and his rights, the fair solution of the problem of the refugees according to international resolutions. We are attached to the international resolutions. We do not want anything above and we do not want anything under. We want to have a new era in our region, an era that brings peace, justice, security, and prosperity for all.

And let me say here that in 1993, on the 9th of September of this year, we signed, Mr. Prime Minister, what is called a document of mutual recognition between us and Israel, between former President Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, and this document was signed. And in this document, we give enough so - to show that our intentions are good, our intentions with respect to recognizing the state of Israel. And you do know, sir, that in Camp David, also commitments were required from us. And when we came back with President Clinton, we carried on with all our commitments because we respect our commitments and our agreements.

Therefore, we stand from here to reach a peace that will end the conflict, that will meet all the demands, and start a new era between the Israeli and the Palestinian people.

Thank you, and peace be among you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: I want to thank both leaders for their statements. And I also want to thank the members of their respective teams who are here in both delegations. The people sitting here have worked very hard, some for many years, and they certainly have traveled a long way to be here and we're grateful for their commitment as well.

Today, President Obama and I, Senator Mitchell and our entire team, are prepared to do whatever we can to help you succeed. And we believe in you and we support you. So again, let me thank you for being here, and now it's time to get to work.

Thank you all very much.

English/Nat

U-S President Bill Clinton has called on Israel and the Palestinians to use honest discussion, not violence, in dealing with their differences over the Wye land-for-peace deal.

An embattled Clinton is in Jerusalem on a tough diplomatic mission aimed at rescuing the U-S brokered accord.

On Saturday, Clinton said the Palestinian Authority must to do more to quell unrest in the West Bank if the peace initiative is to succeed.

And he also headed off questions about the impeachment process proceeding against him in Washington, saying he had no plans to resign.

President Clinton is trying to smooth over the rocky peace process in the Middle East.

His visit to the region comes just seven weeks after the Wye River Peace Accord was signed by the Palestinians and Israelis in the States.

But tensions are high in the region - and a wave of West Bank violence clouded Clinton's peace mission on Sunday.

Palestinian stone throwers clashed with Israeli troops and an Israeli high school student was stabbed and wounded by a Palestinian teenager.

Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu opened formal talks over breakfast before Clinton met Israel's extended cabinet and both leaders gave a joint news conference.

Netanyahu, in a warm tribute to Clinton, who is currently facing impeachment proceedings back home, said no other leader has shown more perseverance in seeking peace.

The Israeli leader also insisted that his government has complied with agreements set down in October's agreement.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Your visit here is part of the implementation of the Wye River Accords. Now this was not an easy agreement for us, but we did our parts and we are prepared to do our part based on Palestinian compliance. When I say that we did our part you know that within two weeks we withdrew from territory, released prisoners and opened the Gaza airport precisely as we undertook to do. "

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

One of the sticking point in negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis is the contentious issue of Jerusalem.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Coming out of Wye they said again and again that regardless of what happens in the negotiations, on May 4 1999 they will unilaterally declare a state, divide Jerusalem and make its eastern half the Palestinian capital."

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

Again, the Israeli leader accused the Palestinians of ignoring commitments to improve security in the areas they control.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"And they must demonstrate that they abandoned the path of violence and adopted the path of peace. For us to move forward they must scrupulously adhere to commitments under the Wye agreement on which we have all worked so hard."

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

Clinton echoed Israel's concerns over violence.

He said he would ask Congress for 1.2 (b) billion U-S dollars in special assistance to help carry out the accord and security measures connected to it.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We also have an unshakeable commitment to be a partner in the pursuit of a lasting comprehensive peace. I have told the Prime Minister that I will soon submit to the Congress a supplemental request for 1.2 (b) billion dollars (picture cuts to audience) to meet Israel's security needs related to implementing the Wye River Agreement. "

SUPER CAPTION: U-S President Bill Clinton

But Israel's prime minister reiterated the Palestine National Council must complete the removal of anti-Israel provisions in the P-L-O charter in order for the peace process to regain momentum.

Clinton said the Palestinian Authority had to do more to quell violence in the West Bank which is threatening the accord with Israel.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Have the Palestinians fulfilled all their commitments? They certainly could be doing better to preempt violent demonstrations in the street. This is a terribly important matter. I also agree that matters that have been referred consistent with the Oslo agreement for final status talks should be left there and should be the subject to negotiations."

SUPER CAPTION: U-S President Bill Clinton

Asked about his domestic troubles, Clinton expressed hopes the committee moving towards launching impeachment proceedings against him would back off.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Now it is up to the members of the House representatives to vote their conscience on the constitution and the law, which I believe are clear. And I have no intention of resigning, it's never crossed my mind."

SUPER CAPTION: U-S President Bill Clinton

Like Clinton, Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival as parliament prepares for a no-confidence vote within two weeks.

His coalition began to weaken after he and Arafat signed the Wye River Memorandum agreeing to turn over 13 per cent of West Bank territory in return for Palestinian security measures.

Later, Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton made a visit to the Har Herzl Cemetery to visit the grave of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

They were accompanied by Leah, Rabin's widow.

Rabin was gunned down by a nationalist Jew who could not abide the terms of a Mideast agreement that called - just as this latest accord does - for Israel to cede West Bank land in exchange for peace with the Palestinians.

On Monday, the U-S president is to fly to the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip to be welcomed by Arafat with the trappings of a state visit.

Clinton's visit to Gaza is seen by some as a boost for dreams of Palestinian statehood.

Jerusalem, Israel - December 13 1998

1. Clinton and Netanyahu walking

2. Pan across Israeli cabinet to Clinton and Albright

3. Pan from press to officials

4. Clinton and Netanyahu walk to podium

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

6. Cutaway Clinton

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

8. Cutaway officials

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President Bill Clinton with cutaways to audience

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President Bill Clinton

12. Cutaway

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President Bill Clinton

14. Wide of conference

15. Various of Clintons and Rabin's widow walking to grave of Yitzhak Rabin at Har Herzl Cemetery

16. Clintons stand before grave

17. Clintons kneel before grave and lay flowers

18. Close up of Clinton touching grave

19. Cutaway

20. Rabin's widow, Leah, leaves flowers

21. Clintons and Leah Rabin walk away

22. Clinton and Netanyahu in Netanyahu's office

23. Cutaway to Albright

24. Clinton and Netanyahu sitting

Arabic/Eng

1996 has been a particularly troubled year in the volatile Middle East - nowhere more so than in Israel.

In the year that followed the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, nothing could have prepared the region for the violence and political upheaval that was to come.

With 1996 drawing to a close, both Palestinians and Israelis are hoping for a peaceful new year - something that, despite the peace accord, has so far proved elusive.

The shock of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination was still hanging over Israel and the Palestinians as 1995 gave way to 1996.

But with that shadow also came a hope for peace, as Rabin's legacy of the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians was still supported by most Israelis.

Rabin's partner in the peace deal - Shimon Peres - took over the mantle of Israeli Prime Minister and called early elections in the hope of maximising the wave of sympathy for his slain predecessor.

But the support was short lived as a spate of suicide bombings by Palestinian militants hoping to derail the peace process left 59 Israelis dead and many more injured.

Also injured was the Israeli's sense of security, reflected by a sharp drop of faith in the peace deal with the Palestinians.

In a hurriedly-arranged summit held in the Egyptian port of Sharm el-Sheikh, the international community rallied behind the peace process.

With a unanimous denunciation of terrorism, world leaders aimed to put the Oslo accords back on track.

Sympathy and support soon turned to horror, though, as in April the I-D-F (Israel Defence Force) led an offensive in south Lebanon against Hezbollah guerrillas.

The operation - dubbed "Grapes of Wrath" - saw Hezbollah katyusha rocket fire met by Israeli air strikes and massive artillery bombardment.

It came to an abrupt end as Israeli fire killed 100 Lebanese refugees camped at a U-N base in Qana.

In the run up to Israeli elections in May, polls showed Shimon Peres leading the polls over opposition Likud leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.

The margin was not great, but it was widely believed that Peres would survive the political damage caused by recent events and secure victory.

But Benjamin Netanyahu relied on the fear caused by those same events.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We're talking about security. A peace without security is not a peace, and it certainly will not last."

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

In the end, the polls were proved wrong and Netanyahu squeezed home by just 26- thousand votes.

Netanyahu won on a platform promising greater security to Israelis and a different approach to the peace process.

With Netanyahu and his Likud-led coalition now in power, the future of the Oslo accords hung in the balance.

Still the Palestinians were willing to give the new regime a chance.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)

"As we said it, and as brother Yasser Arafat said from the first day of the Israeli elections, we do not make peace with parties or with groups in Israel. We are trying to make peace with Israel. We respected the Israeli democratic choice, but democracy is not a one way track, it's a two way track. The new Israeli government must respect agreements signed with previous governments."

SUPER CAPTION: Saeb Erekat, Palestinian chief negotiator

The Palestinian Authority had already been handed control of the Gaza Strip, and five out of six West Bank towns - with Hebron outstanding.

Yasser Arafat was officially voted the first elected Palestinian leader.

Peace talks were to continue, with Israeli redeployment from Hebron heading the agenda.

But whereas meetings between Arafat and Peres were a common occurrence, relations between Netanyahu and Arafat were cold.

The two leaders finally met in early September, but a lack of progress with the Hebron redeployment left the region in a tense state.

It only took a spark to ignite Palestinian frustration.

Netanyahu's government's approval of the opening of a tunnel near the Muslim Holy Shrine of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem late September caused trouble.

Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers erupted throughout Gaza and the West Bank.

The violence was the worst since the 1967 Six-Day-War and saw armed Palestinian police in bloody gun battles with Israeli troops.

By the end, the death toll was high on both sides and the peace process was again in crisis.

The clashes led to greater efforts to resume negotiations between the two sides, with pressure coming in particular from U-S President Bill Clinton.

Netanyahu and Arafat were invited to the White House, and there was some hope of progress as a schedule for negotiations was set.

These U-S-brokered negotiations, which focus on Hebron redeployment, continue as 1996 draws to a close.

Another meeting between Netanyahu and Arafat and more positive talks have led to renewed hopes for a deal on Hebron in the New Year.

But 1997 promises to bring greater challenges to the peace process as negotiations near the final stages and the most contentious issue of all - the status of Jerusalem - reaches the agenda.

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel; Hebron, West Bank; Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt; Gaza City, Gaza Strip; Qana, Lebanon; Erez Crossing between Israel and Gaza - 25-28 December 1996 and file

Jerusalem, Israel

28 Dec 1996

1. Tilt down to Rabin's grave

2. Close-up of Rabin's grave

Jan 1996

3. Pull-out from Peres at Cabinet meeting

4. Close-up Peres

March 1996

5. Top shot of bus bombing

6. Mid shot of wrecked bus

7. Wide shot of wrecked cars

8. Jews praying at scene

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt - March 1996

9. Wide shot of flags

10. Back shot of Arabs and press

11. Mid shot world leaders

12. Mid shot of King Hussein and Peres

13. Mid shot of Arafat

14. Pan of leaders raising arms

Northern Israel - April 1996

15. Wide shot of tanks firing

16. Close-up of gun barrel firing

17. Mid shot of tank firing

South Lebanon - April 1996

18. Shell exploding on hillside

Qana, Lebanon - April 1996

19. Smoking U-N building

20. Body being stretchered

21. Woman's body on ground

22. Child's body on ground

23. U-N soldiers milling around bodies

24. Man crying on car boot

Jerusalem, Israel - May 1996

25. Peres surrounded by young supporters

26. Peres takes microphone

27. Wide shot supporters cheering Peres

28. Pan from Netanyahu waving to supporters

29. Netanyahu clapping on stage

30. SOUNDBITE: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

31. Pull-out from Netanyahu and wife to supporters at election victory rally

32. Wide shot of Netanyahu's new cabinet - June 1996

Tel Aviv, Israel - 28 Dec 1996

33. SOUNDBITE: Saeb Erekat, Palestinian chief negotiator

Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Jan 1996

34. Various shots of Yasser Arafat voting

Erez Crossing - Sept 1996

35. Netanyahu and Arafat shaking hands

West Bank - Sept 1996

36. Israeli army jeep coming under hail of stones

37. Palestinian policeman firing wildly

Hebron, West Bank - 27 Dec 1996

38. Israeli soldiers standing at checkpoint

39. Soldiers at look-out

40. Soldiers walk up steps

English/Nat

Members of 120 families who have lost their loved ones in the Arab-Israeli conflict have gathered in a tent in Tel Aviv in support of Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

They say they will take it in turns to keep up a vigil in the square where former premier Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated throughout the summit in the hope that a lasting peace deal can be struck at Camp David.

The group's organiser, Itzhak Frankental, said they were there to show their support for Barak having all lost family members because of the failure to reach a lasting peace deal.

Frankental added that unless a deal was struck more families would suffer similar bereavement.

Elsewhere, hundreds of Palestinian refugees gathered at Dehesha Refugee camp in Bethlehem to call upon Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat not to forget them at Camp David.

They fear that he will make concessions to the Israelis that would compromise their historic right to return home.

Carrying banners, placards and lighted candles they marched from the camp to Manger Square in the city centre where they staged a rally.

Earlier in the day supporters of the DFLP (Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine) staged a protest in Time Square in the heart of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Waving banners and placards they urged Arafat and his delegation to stand firm at Camp David and not to make any concessions to the Israelis at the peace summit.

The demonstrators waved DFLP flags and chanted 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem'.

Some held banners calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners, and others held up posters warning that there could be no peace and no security while Jewish settlements remained in the occupied territories.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We are a group of 120 bereaved parents who have lost their kids only because there is no peace with the Palestinians. We support the peace process and think it is more important to reach a solution because the price of no peace will be more bereavement. And that is what we would like to say to Barak and to Chairman Arafat. 'Find a way to peace because there is no other way. Only bereavement'"

SUPER CAPTION: Itzhak Frankental, Organiser

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Any attempt to go around the refugee's right to return will fail, That is what this rally is all about. "

SUPER CAPTION: Salah Tamari, Palestinian Minister for Settlement Affairs

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)

"I am from Dehesha refugee camp. I live in very bad conditions and I would love to go back to my home."

SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Child Refugee

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"We want to tell everybody in the Camp David negotiations that our Palestinian people have decided to stick to their rights as recognised by the UN resolutions. The rights to reclaim all the occupied territories in 1967 including Arab Jerusalem and to stick to the rights of refugees to get back to their homes as recognised by the UN resolution number 194 of 1948."

SUPER CAPTION: Kayse Abulaila, DFLP leader in the West Bank

Bethlehem and Ramallah, West Bank and Tel Aviv, Israel - 12 July 2000

Tel Aviv

1. People gathered outside tent in Rabin Square.

2. Pan left to right of outside of tent.

3. Close shot of two people talking outside tent.

4. Various shots inside tent - people sitting around.

5. Close up of sign in English calling for peace.

6. Few shots of people in tent.

7. Setup of Itzhak Frankental, Organiser

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Itzhak Frankental, Organiser

Bethlehem

9. Demonstrators gathering at Dehesha refugee camp.

10. Various protestors carrying placards and banners.

11. Slogans saying - 'Don't forget us and No Concessions'.

12. People carrying lighted candles.

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Salah Tamari, Palestinian Minister for Settlement Affairs

14. VOX POP: (Arabic) Child Refugee

Ramallah

15. Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) protestors in Time Square.

16. Waving banners and placards.

17. Man addressing crowd with megaphone.

18. Close up banners.

19. Little boy with banner calling for freedom for prisoners.

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kayse Abulaila, DFLP leader in the West Bank

21. Various of demo

English/Nat

SOURCE: APTN

APTN CLIENTS ONLY

U-S President Bill Clinton has called on Israel and the Palestinians to use honest discussion, not violence, in dealing with their differences over the Wye land-for-peace deal.

Facing impeachment proceedings in the U-S, an embattled Clinton is in Jerusalem on a tough diplomatic mission aimed at rescuing the U-S brokered accord.

Clinton has made clear that he thinks the Palestinian Authority must to do more to quell unrest in the West Bank if the peace initiative is to succeed.

President Clinton is trying to smooth over the rocky peace process in the Middle East.

His visit to the region comes just seven weeks after the Wye River Peace Accord was signed by the Palestinians and Israelis in the U-S.

But tensions are high in the region - and a wave of West Bank violence clouded Clinton's peace mission on Sunday.

Palestinian stone throwers clashed with Israeli troops and an Israeli high school student was stabbed and wounded by a Palestinian teenager.

Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu opened formal talks over breakfast before the U-S President met Israel's extended cabinet and both leaders gave a joint news conference.

In a warm tribute to Clinton who is currently facing impeachment proceedings back home, Netanyahu said no other leader has shown more perseverance in seeking peace.

The Israeli leader also insisted that his government has complied with agreements set down in the October Wye accords.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Now this was not an easy agreement for us, but we did our part and we are prepared to do our part based on Palestinian compliance. When I say that we did our part you know that within two weeks we withdrew from territory, released prisoners and opened the Gaza airport precisely as we undertook to do."

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

Netanyahu said the Palestinians were sticking by plans Israel found hard to swallow.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Coming out of Wye they said again and again that regardless of what happens in the negotiations, on May 4 1999 they will unilaterally declare a state, divide Jerusalem and make its eastern half, the Palestinian capital."

SUPER CAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

Netanyahu also said the P-L-O had ignored commitments to stop violence.

Clinton echoed Israel's concerns over terrorism, and said he wanted the U-S to help pay to keep Israelis safe.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"I have told the Prime Minister that I will soon submit to the Congress a supplemental request for 1-point-2 (b) billion dollars (picture cuts to audience) to meet Israel's security needs related to implementing the Wye River Agreement. "

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Have the Palestinians fulfilled all their commitments? They certainly could be doing better to preempt violent demonstrations in the street. This is a terribly important matter. I also agree that matters that have been referred consistent with the Oslo agreement for final status talks should be left there and should be subject to negotiations."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

Asked about his domestic troubles, Clinton expressed hopes the committee moving towards launching impeachment proceedings against him would back off.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"Now it is up to the members of the House representatives to vote their conscience on the constitution and the law, which I believe are clear. And I have no intention of resigning, it's never crossed my mind."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

After the joint news conference, the president and First Lady Hillary Clinton paid a visit to the Har Herzl Cemetery, paying tribute at the grave of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

They were accompanied by Leah, Rabin's widow.

Rabin was gunned down by a nationalist Jew who could not abide the terms of a Middle East agreement that called - just as this latest accord does - for Israel to cede West Bank land in exchange for peace with the Palestinians.

On Monday, the U-S president is to fly to the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip to be welcomed by Arafat with the trappings of a state visit.

Clinton's trip to Gaza is seen by some as a boost for dreams of Palestinian statehood.

Like Clinton, Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival as parliament prepares for a no-confidence vote within two weeks.

His coalition began to weaken after he and Arafat signed the Wye River Memorandum agreeing to turn over 13 per cent of West Bank territory in return for Palestinian security measures.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"The peace process will succeed if it comes with a recognition that the fulfillment of one side's aspirations must come with, not at the expense of, the fulfillment of the other side's dreams. It will succeed when we understand that it is not just about mutual obligations but mutual interests, mutual recognition, mutual respect - when all agree there is no sense in a tug of war over a common ground."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

On the end of a first day of his visit, president Clinton addressed a mostly young audience at the Jerusalem Convention Center.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"There are 12 million Jews in the world, driven from their homelands, subject to holocaust, subject to centuries of prejudice, and yet here you are. Here you are (applause). If you can do this, after 4-thousand years, you can make this peace, believe me, you can do this."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

The response to these words was a warm one.

Clinton's three-day visit to the Middle East was initially designed to celebrate the peace accords he mediated along the Wye River of Maryland two months ago.

Jerusalem - December 13 1998

1. Various of Bill Clinton and Netanyahu walking

2. Mid shot of delegates entering room

3. Clinton and Netanyahu walk to podium

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

5. Cutaway Clinton

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

7. Cutaway officials

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bill Clinton, US President (with cutaways to audience)

9. Cutaway

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bill Clinton, US President

11. Wide of conference

12. Various of Clinton and Yitzhak Rabin's widow walking to Rabin's at Har Herzl Cemetery

13. Clintons stand before grave

14. Clintons kneel before grave and lay flowers

15. Close up of Clinton touching grave

16. Cutaway

17. Rabin's widow, Leah, leaves flowers

18. Hillary stands next to Leah Rabin

19. Medium shot of Clinton and President Ezer Weizman

20. Close up of child lighting Hanukah candle

21. Cutaway Clintons

22. Midshot of wounded Israeli soldiers

23. Close up of Weizman speaking

24. Midshot of Clinton shaking hand of wounded soldier

25. Midshot of Clinton and Netanyahu walking up stage at Ussishkin Hall, Jerusalem Convention Centre

26. Cutaway of audience clapping

27. Wide of Netanyahu speaking at podium

28. Cutaway audience

29. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bill Clinton, US President

30. Cutaway to audience

31. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bill Clinton, US President

32. Cutaway to audience applauding

33. Clinton and Netanyahu shaking hands and waving

34. Wide shot of stage and audience

35. Various of crowds climbing over each other to shake Clinton's hand

English/Nat

VOICED By: Richard Vaughan

U-S President Bill Clinton has called on Israel and the Palestinians to use honest discussion, not violence, in dealing with their differences over the Wye land-for-peace deal.

An embattled Clinton is in Jerusalem on a tough diplomatic mission aimed at rescuing the U-S brokered accord.

On Saturday, Clinton said the Palestinian Authority must to do more to quell unrest in the West Bank if the peace initiative is to succeed.

And he also headed off questions about the impeachment process proceeding against him in Washington, saying he had no plans to resign.

VOICE-OVER:

0:00

President Clinton is trying to smooth over the rocky peace process in the Middle East.

His visit to the region comes just seven weeks after the Wye River Peace Accord was signed by the Palestinians and Israelis in the United States.

But tensions are high in the region - and a wave of West Bank violence has so far clouded Clinton's peace mission.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu opened formal talks over breakfast, offering a warm tribute to President Clinton.

0:26

SOUNDBITE: (English) - Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

One of the sticking points is the contentious issue of Jerusalem.

And another bone of contention - the Israeli leader accused the Palestinians of ignoring commitments to improve security in the areas they control.

Clinton echoed Israel's concerns, with a promise to ask Congress for one-point-two (b) billion dollars in special assistance to help carry out the accord.

01:02

SOUNDBITE: (English) - US President Bill Clinton

01:12

Israel's prime minister reiterated that the Palestine National Council must complete the removal of anti-Israel provisions in the P-L-O charter in order for the peace process to regain momentum.

President Clinton agreed, claiming the Palestinian Authority had to do more to quell violence in the West Bank.

01:29

SOUNDBITE: (English) - U-S President Bill Clinton

01:40

Asked about his domestic troubles, Clinton expressed hopes the committee moving towards launching impeachment proceedings against him would back off.

Like Clinton, Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival as parliament prepares for a no-confidence vote.

01:54

Later, Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton went to visit the grave of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

On Monday, the U-S president flies to the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip where he'll be welcomed by Palestinian Leader, Yasser Arafat.

2:09

ENDS

Jerusalem, Israel - December 13 1998

00:00. Clinton and Netanyahu walking

00:04 Pan across Israeli cabinet to Clinton and US Secretary of State

00:14 Pan from press to officials

00:20 Clinton and Netanyahu walk to podium

00:26 SOUNDBITE: (English) Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

00:43 Cutaway Clinton

00:45 Clinton listening to Netanyahu speaking

00:51 Cutaway officials

00:54 Cutaway Netanyahu and Clinton

00:57 Cutaway officials

01:02 SOUNDBITE: (English) US President Bill Clinton

Ramallah, West Bank - December 12

01:12 Various of Palestinians throwing stones and Israeli soldiers shooting at Palestinians

Jerusalem, Israel - December 13

01:29 SOUNDBITE: (English) US President Bill Clinton

01:40 Clinton and Netanyahu

01:43 Clinton closeup

01:51 Closeup Clinton and Netanyahu

01:54 Various of Clinton and Rabin's widow walking to grave of Yitzhak Rabin

02:13 Vision ends

T/I: 11:28:51

Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday (13/9) to mark the signing, four years ago, of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.

Former premier Shimon Peres, one of the driving forces behind the Oslo peace accord addressed the crowds. The rally was organised by Yitzhak Rabin's son Yuval.

Meanwhile, EU envoy to the Middle East, Miguel Moratinos met Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Arafat briefed Moratinos on US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit to the region.

SHOWS:

ISRAEL/WEST BANK 13/9

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK

legislative council building - ext.

gv's of building;

photo of Yasser Arafat and Miguel Moratinos;

SOT (in English) Moratinos saying he'd been briefed by Arafat on Albright's visit, and hopes now there will be progress in Washington; the Eu was working in close cooperation with the USA, it had its own own proposals and was backing any efforts for peace.

SOT (in English) Nabil Sha'ath, Palestinian Planning Minister, saying they want to see progress towards the end of the siege (closure of Gaza and West Bank) and Israel meeting its committments to the peace process, but this was not happening;

TEL AVIV

demonstrators shouting "Bibi resign, we don't want you any more"; holding banners reading "we miss you (Rabin)";

cheering;

Opposition leader Shimon Peres and Yossi Sarid, chairman of Meretz party, in the crowd;

Ehud Barak, Likud leader, in the crowd;

SOT Peres (in Hebrew) from podium talking about Netanyahu, saying he promised to bring peace with a low price, instead he had brought us war with a high price;

Vs of rally;

Israeli flag waved;

SOT (In English) Peres saying peace will force the government to change its policies, not the other way around;

Ws of rally;

3.25

English/Nat

Palestinians in Gaza have welcomed Shimon Peres as an ally in their quest for Palestinian autonomy.

But they are afraid Israeli insecurity following Yitzhak Rabin's assassination may delay the military redeployment in the West Bank.

It was originally scheduled to be completed later this month, and could even hold up the Palestinian elections early next year.

The border post between Israel and the Gaza strip is still under tight security.

It was closed for security reasons by Israeli after Prime Minster Rabin was assassinated - but reopened to everyone Tuesday.

Some of these trucks have waited over a day and a half to pass through the checkpoint.

Despite the aggravation, most Palestinians have welcomed Shimon Peres' plans to resume preparations for the redeployment of Israeli troops.

The first of six major West Bank cities where Israeli troops will pull out is scheduled to begin in Jenin on November 19th.

And, only hours after his predecessor's funeral, Peres confirmed he would implement the Israeli/P-L-O accord to expand Palestinian Authority to the rest of the West Bank.

But there are concerns about how quickly the accord will be carried out.

Basim Diazada has lived in Gaza all of his life and has owned this clothes shop for the past fifteen years.

Though he welcomes Peres as a man dedicated to reform he believes that when Palestinians achieve autonomy, their ties still won't be broken.

He fears Palestinians will continue to rely on Israel for trade, water, and electricity - what he calls Israel's economic stranglehold.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"For Palestinians we feel that Peres is more important, but Mr Rabin was support him because manpower in Israel, they believe in Rabin more than Peres. Both of them they work together and get the same result, but we think now that Mr Peres is alone now, he has different ideas.

SUPER CAPTION: Basim Diazada, Gaza resident.

Security in Gaza City has been stepped up following the assassination of Rabin.

Extra forces patrol the streets and Chairman Arafat's office has been closed to outsiders.

Nabil Shaath, a close advisor to Arafat, believes Rabin's murder may actually make Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip safer places.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"What happened in our case is that a determination by our government and a serious change of public opinion and a vocal response by what used to be a silent majority have really brought down violence considerably.

SUPERCAPTION: Dr. Nabil Shaath, Minister of Planning for The Palestinian Authority.

For many Palestinians, the death of Yitzhak Rabin is of little practical consequence.

For them the hardship of day to day life is their main concern.

Yet in the Gaza strip, there is still a deep mistrust of Israel.

Many Palestinians who've lived under nearly thirty years of Israeli occupation believe full reconciliation will only be possible for future generations.

Erez border crossing, Gaza (7 October 1995)

1. Wide shot of Erez border crossing

2. Medium shot watch tower and flags

3. Close-up soldier with rifle

4. GVs of Basim in shop

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Basim

6. General Views of Palestinian police in Gaza streets

7. Various: Arafat arriving under tight security for a function

8. SOUNDBITE: Dr Nabil Shaath

9. General views of Gaza residents in streets.

Eng/Arabic/Nat

In another milestone toward peace, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chief Yasser Arafat signed a historic agreement Thursday.

The accord ends Israel's military occupation of West Bank cities and will lay the foundation for a Palestinian state.

It was indeed an historic day as President Clinton hosted the signing of the agreement which draws Israel and the Palestinians one step closer on the path to lasting peace.

Clinton, however, was keen to stress that more work still had to be done.

SOUNDBITE:

"We will press forward with our efforts until the circle of peace is closed. A circle which must include Syria and Lebanon, if peace is to be complete."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

The Israeli foreign minister extended warm words to the Palestinians, saying that they would soon be their own masters.

SOUNDBITE:

"It was our free choice, our moral preference, not to compel ourselves to be rulers of another people, to be the rulers of the Palestinian people. Once the agreement is implemented no longer will the Palestinians reside under our domination. They will gain self rule and we shall return to our heritage."

SUPER CAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli Foreign Minister

Friends now, Israel and the Palestinians have been foes for many years.

The West Bank was held by Jordan until Israel captured it in the 1967 Six-Day War and sent tens of thousands of Jews to settle there - under the accord, they will remain.

In recent weeks, there have been several skirmishes between Palestinians and settlers in the West Bank and PLO leader Yasser Arafat added a note of caution.

SOUNDBITE: (In Arabic)

"The road ahead remains long indeed. We look forward to your continued support of our people, and we thank all friendly and brotherly donors for their assistance."

SUPER CAPTION: PLO chairman Yasser Arafat

Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin warned of the dangers that lay ahead.

SOUNDBITE:

"We should not let the land that is flowing with milk and honey become a land flowing with blood and tears. Don't let it happen. If all the partners to the peace-making do not unite against the evil angels of death by terrorism, all that will remain of this ceremony are colour snapshots, empty memento's."

SUPER CAPTION: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin

The Egyptian president, who witnessed the signing, said there could be a bright future in the Middle East.

SOUNDBITE:

"It is our duty to prove to all the peoples of the Middle East that the past is behind us at long last, and that a brighter future is dawning throughout the area, a future that brings to realisation not only the promise of peace and security, but also greater prospects for balanced development and prosperity."

SUPER CAPTION: Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian President

The agreement outlines in painstaking detail the step-by-step withdrawal of Israeli forces and the transfer of governing authority for Palestinian self-rule in 30 percent of the West Bank, containing most of its Arab population.

The accord also allows for Palestinian elections and calls for the release of five-thousand Palestinian prisoners by Israel.

Washington DC, 28th September 1995

1. Arrival of Clinton and other leaders

2. Cutaway audience

3. SOUNDBITE: Clinton

4. Cutaway Hussein and Rabin

5. Rabin at podium

6. Cutaway hands

7. Clinton and Arafat

8. SOUNDBITE: Peres

9. Signing of agreement

10. Clinton, Rabin and Arafat shake hands

11. Hussein signs agreement

12. Handshakes all round

13. Wide of Arafat

14. SOUNDBITE: Arafat

15. Wide of Rabin

16. SOUNDBITE: Rabin

17. Clinton and Rabin

18. SOUNDBITE: Mubarak

19. Wide shot of all leaders leaving the podium

Eng/Arabic/Nat

Israel and the Palestinians moved towards a wider peace in the Middle East Thursday, signing an historic accord in Washington.

The accord will extend Palestinian rule in the West Bank.

It was indeed an historic day as President Clinton hosted the signing of the agreement which draws Israel and the Palestinians one step closer on the path to lasting peace.

Clinton, however, was keen to stress that more work still had to be done.

SOUNDBITE:

"We will press forward with our efforts until the circle of peace is closed. A circle which must include Syria and Lebanon, if peace is to be complete."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

The Israeli foreign minister extended warm words to the Palestinians, saying that they would soon be their own masters.

SOUNDBITE:

"It was our free choice, our moral preference, not to compel ourselves to be rulers of another people, to be the rulers of the Palestinian people. Once the agreement is implemented no longer will the Palestinians reside under our domination. They will gain self rule and we shall return to our heritage."

SUPER CAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli Foreign Minister

Friends now, Israel and the Palestinians have been foes for many years.

The West Bank was held by Jordan until Israel captured it in the 1967 Six-Day War and sent tens of thousands of Jews to settle there - under the accord, they will remain.

In recent weeks, there have been several skirmishes between Palestinians and settlers in the West Bank and PLO leader Yasser Arafat added a note of caution.

SOUNDBITE: (In Arabic)

"The road ahead remains long indeed. We look forward to your continued support of our people, and we thank all friendly and brotherly donors for their assistance."

SUPER CAPTION: PLO chairman Yasser Arafat

Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin warned of the dangers that lay ahead.

SOUNDBITE:

"We should not let the land that is flowing with milk and honey become a land flowing with blood and tears. Don't let it happen."

SUPER CAPTION: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin

Earlier in the day Clinton hosted several meetings with the Mid East leaders.

At the start of a separate session with Rabin, Clinton side-stepped a question whether US policy has shifted to support Palestinian statehood.

SOUNDBITE:

"We're not moving anywhere, we're moving with the parties to help make a peace. Every agreement along the way is an agreement to the parties. We are supporting the peace process and that is all we are doing and all we will continue to do."

SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

Clinton also assembled the first ever meeting of the leaders of Israel, the PLO, Jordan and Egypt.

Egypt's President Mubarak echoed praise for the agreement.

SOUNDBITE:

"I think it's a very good accord and I could say that it's a very historic one."

SUPER CAPTION: Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt

The bitter opposition of some Israelis and Palestinians to the accord is being dismissed by the White House as malicious or worse.

The agreement signed Thursday will pull Israeli troops from six large cities on the West Bank and could lay the groundwork for a Palestinian state.

Washington DC, 28th September 1995

1. Arrival of Clinton and other leaders

2. Cutaway audience

3. SOUNDBITE: Clinton

4. Cutaway Hussein and Rabin

5. Rabin at podium

6. Cutaway hands

7. Clinton and Arafat

8. SOUNDBITE: Peres

9. Signing of agreement

10. Clinton, Rabin and Arafat shake hands

11. Hussein signs agreement

12. Handshakes all round

13. Wide of Arafat

14. SOUNDBITE: Arafat

15. Wide of Rabin

16. SOUNDBITE: Rabin

17. Clinton and Rabin

18. SOUNDBITE: Clinton

19. Wide of leaders

20. SOUNDBITE: Mubarak

21. Hussein and Rabin