Israel has notified the US Administration that it is not interested in a visit by Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross at this time, reported the Jerusalem Post Sunday.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak said in a telephone conversation Saturday with US President Bill Clinton that until Israeli sees a significant reduction in violence “on the part of the Palestinians,” a visit by Ross would be “pointless,” the paper quoted the Israeli Radio as saying.
Barak said Israel and the Palestinian Authority were “already in contact” in efforts to reduce violence, the paper added.
On his part, Palestinian Authority Minister of Information Yasser Abed Rabbo denied Sunday morning that the PA is conducting secret talks with Israel, the paper said.
"There are no negotiations going on with Israel, not in Europe and not in any Arab country," the paper quoted Abed Rabbo as saying, who added, "All these reports are Israeli inventions."
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing to help curb the raging violence which erupted after the provocative visit of hawkish Likud party leader, Ariel Sharon, on the 28th of September and which claimed the lives of more then 97 children under the age of 18 all of whom are Palestinians according to a report issued by the UNICEF – Albawaba.com
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