Palestinians Confer on Constitution

LONDON —  A conference on Palestinian reform hosted by the British government went ahead Tuesday despite Israeli opposition, as organizers used a video link to include Palestinian delegates barred by Israel from attending.

Participants included envoys from the “quartet” of Middle East mediators -- the U.S., the U.N., the European Union and Russia -- along with senior officials from Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed-Rabbo, Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat and Interior Minister Hani Hassan participated via video link from the West Bank.

Delegates said the conference laid the groundwork for a new Palestinian constitution with an empowered prime minister, as well as security, financial, economic and judicial reforms. It was also seen as an effort to keep up momentum on a “road map” to peace, which envisions a Palestinian state by 2005.

Abed-Rabbo urged an end to violence, saying in a statement addressed to the Israeli public that “suicide bombings will not bring us peace, and confiscating of our liberty will not bring you security. Let us together reject extremism in all its forms. Let us together choose the path of peaceful negotiations.”

Afterward, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw described the talks as constructive, and Palestinian delegates promised to produce a draft of their new constitution within weeks.