The Israeli parliament rejected after a fierce debate a motion from an extreme right-wing MP demanding an inquiry into the 1993 Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians.
The motion by Ouri Ariel of the Israel-Beitenou-National-Unity grouping was rejected by a vote of 34-26, with two abstentions. Only 62 of the Knesset's 120 members were present for the vote.
The extreme right believes the Oslo accords, which created limited Palestinian self-rule, are responsible for the violence that has wracked the region for 20 months and claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people.
Some lawmakers who are members of Ariel Sharon's coalition supported the inquiry motion, Israeli public radio said.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, one of the main architects of the Oslo accords was verbally abused by right-wingers during the debate, the radio said. "You and your friends are responsible for the blood spilled in the attacks" by Palestinian groups, one lawmaker reportedly yelled at the former Labour party prime minister.
Peres, according to a statement from his ministry, responded by saying: "we should instead have a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the illegal settlements that you are creating today (in the Palestinian territories).
"You are building these days settlements without taking into account the terrible situation that we are in ... Designing a map which makes it impossible to defend the country and the state," he said.
"There is a majority who favor creating a Palestinian state and dismantling the settlements and you are nothing but a noisy minority," he said.
Meanwhile, the Labor Party announced that it was suspending its cooperation with the governing coalition until Prime Minister Sharon clarifies why several of its members did not vote against this proposal, Army Radio reported. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
