Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat launched a blistering verbal attack on Israel at the World Economic Forum summit in the Swiss ski resort of Davos today, but said he was still ready to work for peace in the Middle East.
Mr Arafat's comments came as Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ehud Barak's office said he had decided to halt peacemaking contacts with Mr Arafat and Palestinian officials until Israel's election on February 6.
Israeli elder statesman, Mr Shimon Peres, in the same panel discussion, had beseeched Mr Arafat to put years of bitterness behind him and walk the last piece of the road for peace, which he said could be achieved within weeks.
The two finally shook hands as the crowd of political and corporate leaders stood and cheered, but the at times heated exchange underscored the challenges of finding a durable Middle East peace despite progress at negotiations this week.
During the debate Mr Arafat told the summit, which included UN Secretary-Genera, Mr Kofi Annan, "The current government of Israel is waging and has waged for the past four months a savage and barbaric war as well as a blatant and fascist military aggression against our Palestinian people."
Israel and the Palestinians ended five days of talks yesterday with a joint statement saying they were closer than ever to a peace deal, falling short of Mr Barak's hopes for a campaign-boosting breakthrough before next month's vote.
The sides said they hoped the last gaps would be bridged after the election, although polls show the Labour Party prime minister losing to the hawkish Likud Party chief, Mr Ariel Sharon.
Mr Peres told reporters that Mr Annan and Mr Arafat would discuss whether to hold a round of peace talks in Sweden on Tuesday.
Mr Annan told reporters he hoped a peace deal could be clinched as soon as the Israeli elections were over.
Asked how a possible Sharon victory might affect the peace process, he said: "Let's jump that bridge when we get there."
Reuters