Senior Palestinian officials wavered Sunday before agreeing at the last minute to attend the ceremony, heightening Israeli fears about the Palestinians' ability to commit to even a nonbinding peace agreement.
"Any Palestinian distancing from the agreement cancels its very basis, because what it is selling is a Palestinian partner," said Channel Two TV diplomatic reporter Rina Mazliah. "What almost happened today strengthens the Israeli opponents of the accord."
Two Palestinian Cabinet ministers and two influential legislators who helped negotiate the plan refused to go when they were threatened by militants. They changed their minds after they said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat backed their participation, overriding criticism from Fatah hard-liners. Publicly, Arafat has given the accord only vague support.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades linked to Fatah called them "collaborators," a loaded term that often marks Palestinians for death. Masked gunmen also shot at the home of Abed Rabbo, who already was in Geneva.
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