Palestinians participate in Rhodes conference after the threats by the Greek government to sever its ties with the PA "Al-Sunnara" newspaper, Friday, July 3, 1998.
"Al-Sunnara" reporter to the Palestinian-Israeli Media Conference, held in the Greek island Rhodes upon an invitation by the Greek government, got to know that the Greek government issued a firm threat to the PA to sever ties between both sides if the PA keeps rejecting the participation in the conference.
High-ranking sources told our reporter that the Greek Foreign Minister made a phone call last Wednesday evening to the Palestinian President's office after realizing that the Palestinian official delegation did not arrive to Ben Gurion Airport. Faisal Husseini, who was at Arafat's office, answered the call and promised the Greek Foreign Minister that Palestinians will participate.
Husseini is expected to participate in the conference today after he arrives in Rhodes coming from Turkey. Dr. Anis Al-Qaq, Palestinian Planning Ministry Undersecretary, Sufian Abu Zaydeh, in charge of Israeli Affairs in Fateh, and other Palestinian officials participated yesterday in a closed meeting before the press with Israeli Mks from various parties.
Sufian Abu Zaydeh was late in arriving to Lod Airport, thus causing a 3-hour delay in the departure. Some people said Sufian was late because he was waiting for President Arafat's approval; others said Sufian's passport was with another official in Ramallah who was expected to participate too.
On the Palestinian boycott, an informed sources told our reporter that President Arafat did not make any decision to boycott the conference; in fact, they say that he was calling for participation.
The source added that the ambiguity about the boycott was due to the tension between Arafat and PLC members, who wanted to embarrass him as part of the conflict between them.
Another Palestinian source said that some PLC members called for halting normalization; others said that PLC members should not leave the homeland, especially when Israel is taking serious and dangerous decision pertaining to the future of Jerusalem.
An Israeli Knesset member participating in the conference stated yesterday that Palestinians justified and gave excuses for the absence of some PLC members, stressing that it was not a boycott but a total rejection to the idea of holding the conference, and that they did not participate in the previous Athens Conference.
More than 10 members from the Israeli Knesset from various Israeli parties and movements are participating in the conference, including Didi Tsuker, Maxim Levy, Nesim Zveili, Yehuda Lankri, David Tal, Avi Yehezqal, Yehuda Areel, Amanuel Zeisman, Ely Ben Menahim, Roman Bronvman and others.
A Greek official expressed regret and anger from the PA position on the conference, especially when the initiator was the former Greek Consul, who is currently the assistant to the Greek Foreign Minister, known for his positions supporting the Palestinian cause. The Greek official considered the Palestinian position harmful to the Greek people and government, especially when Greece supported the Palestinian people "like no other country".
Amid the debate on this issue, some Palestinians who attended the conference said those who called for boycotting the conference met secretly with Israeli officials, including Bibi Netanyahu.
The Rhodes Media Conference is being held both on the official parliamentarian level and the media level.
On the Palestinian media participation, many Palestinian journalists are participating from official and private mass media. On this issue, a heated debate is taking place at the present concerning the participation of journalists in a meeting with Israeli Mks and Palestinian officials.
"They met secretly with Netanyahu and declared their boycott to Rhodes Conference" "Al-Sunnara" got to know that Palestinian leaders met recently with Israeli PM Netanyahu despite the Palestinian declared position to boycott any meeting with Netanyahu.
A high-level Palestinian source said the meeting was held without the knowledge of President Arafat while some persons knew about it and did not allow any disclosing of the news about the meeting fearing that President Arafat will punish them.