DATE=  10/7/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220950

TITLE=CLINTON / ISRAEL (L)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON HELD TALKS TUESDAY WITH ISRAELI

PRESIDENT EZER WEIZMAN AND DELIVERED SOME VEILED CRITICISM OF

ISRAEL'S BOTCHED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST A SENIOR HAMAS

OFFICIAL IN JORDAN TWO WEEKS AGO. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS

DETAILS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.



TEXT: ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMEN HAD BEEN CAUTIOUS IN THEIR

COMMENTS ON THE SEPTEMBER 25TH ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF HAMAS

POLITICAL CHIEF KHALED MASHAL. BUT IN A PHOTO SESSION AS HE BEGAN

HIS WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT, MR. CLINTON

LEFT NO DOUBT ABOUT U-S IRRITATION OVER THE INCIDENT, WHICH HAS

SPAWNED A CRISIS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JORDAN -- ITS CLOSEST PARTNER

IN THE ARAB WORLD:



                     ///CLINTON ACTUALITY///



         I THINK THAT ISRAEL'S STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM IS

         IMPORTANT. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE

         CONSEQUENCES ON PEOPLE WHO ARE YOUR ALLIES, WHATEVER

         ACTIONS YOU'VE TAKEN.  I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING NOW

         FOR ME IS TO TRY TO GET THIS PEACE PROCESS BACK ON

         TRACK. THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO ULTIMATELY GET RID

         OF THE TERRORIST PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.



                          ///END ACT///



THE PRESIDENT TOLD MR. WEIZMAN HE WAS WILLING TO GO ANYWHERE OR

DO ANYTHING TO ADVANCE REGIONAL PEACE EFFORTS. AND HE CONFIRMED

AN ISRAELI ACCOUNT THAT HE HAD JOKINGLY SUGGESTED -- AT DINNER

WITH MR. WEIZMAN MONDAY NIGHT -- THAT HE WAS READY TO TAKE

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER

ARAFAT TO THE NORTH POLE, AND KEEP THEM THERE UNTIL THEY HAD

SETTLED THEIR DIFFERENCES.  AT LEAST -- MR. CLINTON SAID -- IT

WOULD COOL THINGS DOWN.



THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE REITERATED HIS

GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN OVER WHAT ISRAEL SAYS IS ACTIVE RUSSIAN

ASSISTANCE TO IRAN IN DEVELOPING LONG-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES.



WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY SAID THE ADMINISTRATION SHARES

THAT CONCERN AND HAS RAISED THE ISSUE ... AS HE PUT IT ...

"FORTHRIGHTLY AND DIRECTLY" IN HIGH-LEVEL TALKS WITH MOSCOW.

(SIGNED)



NEB/DAG/RRM



07-Oct-97 2:02 PM EDT (1802 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.