By Nevine Khalil Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's latest antic for procrastination on the peace process has come under fierce attack in the Arab world. Netanyahu proposed on Sunday a European-sponsored conference -- along the lines of the 1991 Madrid conference which launched the peace process -- to discuss multilateral regional issues such as energy, water and trade, but not bilateral questions. He said that such a conference would not replace the ongoing US efforts to break the 15-month deadlock in bilateral negotiations. The "initiative" was launched on the eve of the arrival of Spanish Prime Minister José Maria Aznar on a regional tour of the Middle East, and thus became part of Aznar's discussions with President Hosni Mubarak, Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Netanyahu suggested that the conference could be held in Madrid, to which Aznar responded on Sunday: "If there is a need for Madrid to serve as the venue for a peace conference, rest assured that we will be willing to make this possible." Madrid II poses a threat to the peace process, because it may alter the rules of the current peace negotiations. Mubarak said on Saturday, with Aznar by his side, that "the real goal behind Madrid II is to nullify Madrid I, basically, to torpedo the peace process." Mubarak asserted that a second Madrid conference would "ignore the land-for-peace formula, cancel the Oslo Accords and start a new process with new principles." By Monday, Netanyahu had backed down on the idea, but not before taking Mubarak to task for criticising his initiative. "It would be better if Egypt would exercise caution before commenting," he told Israeli Radio on Sunday. Netanyahu continued by saying that if Egypt really wants to help move the process forward, it should use its considerable influence in the Arab world and on the Palestinians to get them to live up to the Oslo Accords and Hebron agreements. In a press conference with Spain's Aznar the next day, Netanyahu said that Madrid II "would be a good idea after the completion of the interim agreement", noting that progress on the Palestinian track must first be completed. Again, he criticised the Arab world's immediate rejection of his proposal, saying that it indicated a "chemical reflex action in which everything that Israel raises is automatically shunted aside." Arafat had accused Netanyahu of trying to evade his commitments by calling for a Madrid II, and changing the bases of the peace process. "He is trying to escape from Madrid into another international conference so that nothing is implemented," Arafat said on Sunday. "First he has to respect what was done in Madrid." Palestinian negotiator Hassan Asfour said it was "futile for the Palestinians to respond to every new idea [Netanyahu] comes up with, because he is not serious." Minister of Education Hanan Ashrawi described Netanyahu's Madrid II proposal as "a cheap and obvious attempt to negate the basis of Madrid." She said Netanyahu was "distracting the world with test balloons to divert attention from the minefield he is creating on the ground." Netanyahu's undiplomatic statements sparked new tensions between Cairo and Israel, with the Egyptian press lambasting the Israeli leader and calling for a united Arab stance "in the face of the destructive spirit controlling [Netanyahu] and his corrupt beliefs", as Al-Akhbar's Chief Editor Galal Dweidar wrote on Monday. "This arrogant man's actions are characterised by ingratitude and scorn." Al-Ahram newspaper reported on Monday that Netanyahu told Israeli Radio that he was "fed up with the baseless criticism" of his Madrid II proposal. The newspaper also said that Netanyahu described his detractors, including Egypt, as "ignorant and lacking the desire to understand the reality of matters." An Al-Ahram commentary noted that Netanyahu's statements reflect "his irresponsible positions". The newspaper added: "Ever since his ill-starred accession to power, we have heard only lies from him. Now Netanyahu stands unmasked in front of his people and the international community." Syrian newspapers dismissed Netanyahu's proposal, which they said was aimed at "undermining the fundamentals of the peace process launched by the Madrid conference." Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel-Meguid also rejected Netanyahu's Madrid II after talks with Spain's Aznar, saying that only the US and the Franco-Egyptian proposal for a peace-saving conference should be supported. Netanyahu's retraction of Madrid II is reminiscent of his withdrawal last week of a proposal to organise a national referendum on further redeployment in the West Bank. Cairo had criticised the proposal, fearing that it would set a precedent for other issues relating to the region. Criticism of the referendum and Madrid II also came from within Netanyahu's coalition allies. Yigal Bibi, a member of the National Religious Party which holds nine seats in the Knesset, said there was no point in holding a second Madrid. "I don't see the need. Our aim is to reach an agreement on final status," Bibi said. Israeli President Ezer Weizman was harsher in his criticism, suggesting that early elections be held in order "to find out what the Israelis want", instead of waiting until the general elections scheduled for the year 2000. Weizman said that he would stop "helping" Netanyahu by talking to world leaders "to plead for patience" on the peace process. Since Netanyahu's election in 1996, Weizman has held several discussions with Mubarak, Arafat, Jordan's King Hussein and US President Bill Clinton on behalf of the Israeli prime minister in order to mend relations. Weizman noted on Monday that Israel's standing with the international community "is no longer what it used to be. Is it possible that they are all wrong, France [and] the US?" he asked. "Are we the only ones who are right?" The left-wing opposition said it would introduce a bill calling for elections within two months. Yossi Beilin, a leader in the Labour Party, accused Netanyahu of "being ready to do anything in order to do nothing". On the other hand, hawkish elements in the Israeli cabinet such as former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, who led Israel's delegation to Madrid in 1991, supported Madrid II, saying that such a conference "would not be compatible with the Oslo agreements which would have to be cancelled first." Before arriving in the region, Aznar said that Spain, within the European Union, "would like to contribute effectively to the peace process." He said that the future of the Middle East depends on peace and stability, "which is a goal worth working for." Aznar said that he will speak to the Palestinians and Israelis about their "responsibilities" in the peace process. "We have excellent ties with Israel and close, positive relations with the Palestinians," Aznar told Al-Ahram. "We want this process to be relaunched as soon as possible." In Cairo on Saturday, Aznar said that an international conference would be inevitable. "It is unavoidable so long as it does not nullify what took place previously, but instead pushes the peace process forward again." Spain, he continued, supports the existing peace accords, and wants to see the agreements implemented in detail "without disagreement or manoeuvres." Aznar said that Europe is open to "all initiatives, especially the US and Egyptian-French proposal" to push the peace process forward. Mubarak explained that the aim of the Egyptian-French initiative was to help and not replace the American initiative. "If the American proposal fails, we will be obliged to activate the Egyptian-French initiative," he said. The conference would "assist and outline ways to push Israel and the Palestinians, particularly the former, to implement the Oslo agreements." He added that "nothing at all has been done" since Netanyahu came to power, expressing hope that Israel would understand that "peace and stability will never be achieved so long as there is occupation and denial of Palestinian rights."
