ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: Eliahu Ben-Elissar is Israel's Ambassador to the United States. Welcome to the program.

And Mr. Ambassador, the, the Palestinians evidently want Israel to commit to a timetable for the future withdrawals that would complete implementation of the Oslo Accords. Why not give it to them?

ELIAHU BEN-ELISSAR, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Well, first comes first. We are dealing now with Hebron. We are re-negotiating the redeployment of the Israeli Army in Hebron for the last two or three months.

I believe that we should first think, "simply sign the agreement on Hebron." And then, of course, continue on the rest.

SIEGEL: Egypt's President Mubarak has said that by Israel's not specifying a date for the end of this entire process -- not just Hebron, but, but all the other territories, Israel is creating fears. What is your reaction to the Egyptian President's statement?

BEN-ELISSAR: I'm sorry that Egypt has not played a very constructive role in this process. The fact is that Egypt who -- well, the Egyptians do have influence on the Palestinians -- could convince them that time has come and everything is ripe and ready for signing an accord on Hebron, and not look for different trains.

We have taken one train. Let us reach the station and then take other trains if necessary. But not try, "and once you reach the station, look for, for another train without disembarking from the one."

SIEGEL: But, just to, to further belabor this metaphor, the Palestinians seem to be saying they want a restatement of the destination from the Israelis. The, they want to be sure that this Israeli government is really committed to complete implementation of Oslo, too.

BEN-ELISSAR: We have declared once and again that we are committed to respect signed agreements. And that we shall abide by agreements adopted by previous Israeli governments.

SIEGEL: Aside from the issue of, of the timetable commitment that Arafat has raised, otherwise, is the withdrawal from Hebron a deal? Is it all on paper? Has it been agreed to?

BEN-ELISSAR: Well, I can tell you that whenever we reach the point which we thought, and even the Americans found, that "well, here, it's finished. And actually, tomorrow we can sit down and sign." There has always been something new raised from the Palestinian side.

SIEGEL: You, you thought you had reached that point already.

BEN-ELISSAR: Already weeks ago, but whenever the US Mediator and -- or facilitator -- and the Israeli side had the feeling that we were on the threshold of having solved all the problems, then, all of a sudden, we had a new problem raised.

As for instance, now, the problem of timetable. And may be that once the time of this -- the problem of timetable's solved there'll be another problem raised. Why not?

SIEGEL: Ambassador Ben-Elissar, I thank you very much for talking with us.

BEN-ELISSAR: Thank you.