Agence France Presse

Ramallah, January 10

Palestinian leaders are mulling the possibility of unilaterally proclaiming an independent state

on land occupied by Israel since 1967, an official statement released today said.

"The Palestinian leadership ... believes it has the right under international law and signed accords to work towards the creation of a democratic state in all territories occupied in 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital," said the statement.

The statement was issued after a meeting chaired by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The statement came after Palestinian premier Ahmed Qorei revived the idea of a bi-national state, which would abandon the prospect of two states living side by side, and place Jews and Palestinians under common authority on land covering historic Palestine, from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean.

The meeting late yesterday of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and representatives of political parties, accused Israel of failing to implement the internationally drafted Middle East peace plan known as the roadmap by continuing "aggressions, incursions and assassinations".

The statement also accused Israel of stealing 58 per cent of Palestinian land with the building of its controversial barrier in the West Bank.

The Palestinians previously threatened to unilaterally declare an independent state in September 2000 — the date fixed by an interim peace accord to reach a final settement — but Arafat renounced the move under international pressure.

Just a few days later, the latest intifada or Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation erupted following a controversial visit by then Israeli opposition leader and now prime minister Ariel Sharon to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.