If a state is declared, the Israeli Prime Minister, Barak, says Israel may have to annex the Jewish settlements – as if their existence is not de facto annexation anyway. The Israeli Foreign Minister – incredibly – threatens to send in tanks. Arafat’s “peace of the brave” is turning rather into the peace ofthe desperate.No wonder President Clinton – whose sheep-like refusal to criticise Israel has undermined any prestige Arafat may have retained – wants to host Arafat and Barak in the US this week. For unless he can extract yet more concessions from Arafat, his presidency may end not in a Middle East peace but a Middle East conflict that would unravel the entire Arab-Israeli “peace” process of the past seven years.Of course, Arafat may stick to his guns and demand his statehood.

But given his track record of folly, corruption and incompetence, he may be able to make another surrender Delaying a declaration of statehood, for example Or promising to redefine what statehood means Or by giving the United States further time to “mediate”. By which time, there may not be much of Palestine left to negotiate.. A joint venture between the BBC, the Tussauds Group and Alton Towers to turn the Millennium Dome into a giant theme park may be thwarted – because the bid came in after the deadline. A joint venture between the BBC, the Tussauds Group and Alton Towers to turn the Millennium Dome into a giant theme park may be thwarted – because the bid came in after the deadline.
The plan, which would show life-sized exhibits from BBC productions such as EastEnders, Walking with Dinosaurs and Sir Richard Attenborough wildlife programmes can only go ahead if the Government rejects the other two formal bids.In May, the government agency English Partnerships, which owns the Dome site in Greenwich, south London, announced a shortlist of two to take over the £758m Dome next year, after the millennium exhibition closes.

Ministers are expected to make a decision later this month.One of the shortlisted companies, the Japanese-backed Dome Europe group, wants to keep the millennium experience running. The other, Legacy plc, plans to strip out the Dome’s contents and turn the site into London’s silicon valley.”We are aware of the Tussauds interest, but no new bids can be allowed and we have made that clear to them,” said John Walker, competition director for the Dome sale.But Michael Jolly, chairman and chief executive of Tussauds Group, was bullish. “We want ministers to look at the attractiveness of the official bids in the light of what we can offer,” he said.He said 70 per cent of the Dome would be given over to BBCatDome, showing the best of the BBC’s output with life-size exhibits; the rest would be an entertainment centre with bars and restaurants called DomeTown Greenwich. This would be free while entrance to the BBC section would be up to £20.