Israel: Barak Skips Three-Way Meeting

By REUTERS
Published: March 15, 2008

Lt. Gen. William M. Fraser III, the new American peace envoy, held his first three-party meeting with Israelis and Palestinians, but Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak, did not attend, irking the Palestinians.

The two-hour meeting in Jerusalem was attended by the Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad.

Mr. Barak surprised some American and Palestinian officials by sending a Defense Ministry official, Amos Gilad.

The meeting came after a recent surge in violence on both sides. Israel was bracing for strong American criticism for not meeting its obligations under the 2003 peace plan known as the road map.

It announced plans this week to build hundreds of homes in a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem and has rebuffed pressure to ease travel restrictions for Palestinians and curb West Bank raids.
Mr. Barak “didn’t feel like going to a meeting and getting scolded,” an Israeli official said.

An aide to Mr. Fayyad said Mr. Barak’s absence “showed a lack of seriousness.” General Fraser has made no public statements about his assessment of progress in the peace process.

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