Israeli high court says Barak can go ahead with peace talks

The judges turned down an injunction sought by government critics who wanted to prevent Barak, who has resigned and remains acting premier, from continuing talks on a permanent peace agreement. Barak had decided late Wednesday to continue talks in the Egyptian resort of Taba, which were begun Sunday night. The judges ruled that an acting head of government must use restraint in conducting negotiations but must also safeguard "continuity and stability".

Palestinian sources said there has been clear progress at the talks, which suspended at short notice on Tuesday. Palestinian chief negotiator Nabil Shaath was quoted by Israeli army radio as saying the two sides were nearly in agreement on the future borders of the proposed Palestinian state, leaving only four per cent of currently occupied land under Israeli control. Shaath was quoted as saying that the remaining problems, such as the future status of Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refugees to Israel, could be resolved "if we continue to negotiate with the same energy and seriousness".

The radio said the sides had agreed that over the next 20 years Israel would admit a total of 100,000 Palestinian refugees. Meanwhile, with elections in Israel only ten days away, newspaper reports in Egypt quoted President Hosny Mubarak as calling on Israeli political figures to refrain from "irresponsible and provocative" statements. A storm of protest was unleashed in Egypt when ultra-rightist politician Avigdor Lieberman threatened that Israel would bomb Egypt's Aswan Dam in the event of war.

Early Thursday, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian in the Gaza Strip and arrested a second, the army said. No further details were immediately known except that the two men had concealed themselves in a greenhouse of the Jof Nam kibbuz. Israeli Radio said two men were arrested in a kibbuz on Israeli territory outside the Gaza Strip.

According to Palestinian reports, 343 Palestinians have been killed since unrest erupted in late September. On the Israeli side, 47 people were killed.

(la/dpa)