Netanyahu Denies Vote Is Stalling Pact

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied Palestinian charges that he had suspended the Wye Plantation peace accord because of upcoming elections, saying the Palestinians were responsible for the freeze. In Jerusalem, Netanyahu told Israel Radio that he will implement the 2-month-old, U.S.-brokered accord once the Palestinians do their part, including collecting illegal weapons held by Palestinian police and civilians. Netanyahu criticized the Palestinian Authority for releasing Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin from house arrest Wednesday and for the escape from a Nablus jail last week of Jamil Jidala, a Palestinian convicted of killing two Israelis. Earlier this month, Israel announced that it was freezing the accord because of what it alleged were Palestinian violations.