Early drafts of the points on terrorism and U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, show a marked swing toward moderation.

Drafts obtained by The Associated Press included endorsement of Resolutions 242 and 338 as "the basis for an international conference, while stressing the necessity to guarantee Palestinian national and political rights, foremost of which is the right to self-determination."

Resolution 242, adopted after the 1967 war, implicitly recognizes Israel by referring to the right of all states in the region to live in peace within secure and recognized borders. It also calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands.

Until now the PLO has rejected the resolution as the basis for peace, arguing that it treats the Palestinians only as a refugee problem and ignores their quest for self-determination and a homeland.

Resolution 338, which the Security Council adopted in 1973, calls for implementation of 242.

The United States has demanded that the PLO endorse 242, explicitly recognize Israel and renounce terrorism before allowing it any role in the Middle East peace process.