President Clinton expressed dismay over Israel s plans during a visit to Washington early this month by Palestinian Leader Arafat. I think it builds mistrust, and I wish that it had not been made. Prime Minister Netanyahu refused to reconsider. He responded to Clinton s criticism on March 5th by ordering the closing of four Palestinian offices in East Jerusalem. In turn, on March 9th, Arafat rejected Israel s offer to withdraw from an additional 9 percent of the West Bank, saying it was too small.
Palestinian authorities refuse to take charge of the territory.
Heightened tensions prompted Jordan s King Hussein to rebuke Netanyahu in an angry and anguished personal letter which was leaked to the press on March 11th. Netanyahu responded with a letter of his own, saying he was baffled by the personal level of Hussein s attacks against him and urging the Jordanian king not to automatically adopt the Palestinian position. Then on March 13th, there was bloodshed. A Jordanian soldier fired on a group of Israeli schoolgirls touring a scenic border outpost called the Island of Peace. Seven girls ages 12 and 13 were killed.