Netanyahu proposal may not be enough

By all accounts, Netanyahu is bringing to President Clinton a proposal for a modest pullback on the West Bank, one that may fall short of the administration's expectations and certainly of Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat's dreams.

But Clinton said he had ''high hopes'' of reviving the Mideast peace process in separate talks this week with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. He assured Israel of his support and said the Palestinians, not just Israel, had to make concessions to breathe life into Mideast peacemaking.

Netanyahu, speaking hoarsely but sounding a rousing theme, told a wildly enthusiastic Christian group that ''there is no peace with weakness.''

The Rev. Jerry Falwell keynoted the reception in a crowded hotel ballroom by declaring: ''Israel loves America, and that's why I support Israel. I love democracy, and Israel is the only true democracy in the Middle East.''

Falwell, who also met separately with Netanyahu, said: ''I accept the convenant of Abraham and I believe God blesses those who bless Israel.''

E. Brandt Gustavson, president of the National Religious Broadcasters, sounded a similar theme. He assured Netanyahu that Christians ''stand with the prime minister for an undivided Jerusalem.''

In his own speech, Netanyahu offered assurances he intends to preserve what has been achieved in Arab-Israeli peacemaking until now. But he said Israel needed the Palestinians' compliance with pledges they have made, beginning with a promise to nullify a provision in the covenant of the Palestine Liberation Organization that calls for the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state.

The Palestinian parliament-in-exile voted in 1996 to nullify the destroy-Israel clauses, but Netanyahu said the Palestinians' national council should meet in public and declare the clauses null and void. He told a Jewish group Monday night thould be have legislative and psychological significance.

''It would be the first time a clear message would be sent to the Palestinian people'' that destruction of Israel was being ruled out, he said.

''We cannot be asked to sign a second agreement while the first agreement is being violated,'' he said.

Insisting that the Palestinians, in an open meeting, should tear up the charter, Netanyahu said: ''How else can you have peace if your partner has a constitution that calls for your destruction.''

Clinton, due to see Netanyahu yesterday and Arafat tomorrow, was upbeat about the White House meetings.

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