- Title: WEST BANK: ISRAEL RE-OPENS HEBRON UNIVERSITY.
- Date: 27th December 1996
- Summary: NABLUS, HEBRON AND RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 27 AND 28, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) HEBRON (DECEMBER 28, 1996) 1. GV/MV: STUDENTS ARRIVING AT THE UNIVERSITY COMPOUND, WALKING ABOUT, CHATTING (5 SHOTS) 0.29 2. GV: ACTIVISTS FROM A GROUP CALLED "PEACE NOW" ENTERING HEBRON MAYOR OFFICE 0.34 3. MV: SHAKING HANDS WITH PA
- Embargoed: 11th January 1997 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NABLUS, HEBRON AND RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Reuters ID: LVAANOTY0YKLJOVECXLB3R6ZYOW7
- Story Text: INTRO: Israel has re-opened Hebron University in an apparent goodwill gesture towards Palestinians, amid hopes that Israel may be about to agree to signing the long-awaited Hebron agreement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- University officials said students resumed studies on Saturday (December 28) at the site which Israel closed 10 months ago after a wave of Moslem suicide bombings killed 59 people in Israel.
Palestinian officials reiterated on Saturday that they expected Israel and the PLO to sign a Hebron deal by the end of the year.
They said Palestinian President Yasser Arafat planned to visit Cairo on Sunday to brief Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak on the emerging accord that outlines the conditions for Israel's delayed handover of 80 percent of the city to Palestinian rule.
He said preparations were underway for a meeting on Tuesday between Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to finalise issues that require the approval of both leaders. The two leaders met last week, pushing the Hebron talks forward.
The Israeli re-opening of the University is seen by many as a conciliatory gesture to ease tension in Hebron, where simmering resentment of the Israeli occupation has threatened to block any Israeli-Palestinian agreement.
Netanyahu, elected in May, has delayed implementation of the 1995 Hebron deal signed by his assassinated predecessor.
He has demanded increased security arrangements to safeguard 400 Jewish settlers who live in the city among 100,000 Arabs.
Palestinians refuse any changes to the deal.
Palestinian security officials said on Saturday that there were two outstanding security issues that could be overcome in the coming few days. They did not eleborate.
Palestinian Economic Planning Ministger Nabil Shaath said the Palestinian cabinet had been briefed on the negotiations in which he said "progress" had been made.
PLO officials said Arafat and Netanyahu would set dates for implementing interim issues including further redeployment from the West Bank, which according to the 1995 interim deal should be concluded in July 1997.
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