U.S. official equates intifada and 'terror'

Reuters ^ | 02 NOV 2001 16:58 | Jonathan Wright

[CommiesOut]

U.S. official equates intifada and 'terror'

    By Jonathan Wright 
    WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. State 
Department official said on Friday the Palestinian uprising 
against Israeli occupation had turned into "an ongoing process 
of calculated terror and escalation". 
    Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield said 
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should stop the escalation by 
cracking down on the Islamist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad -- 
groups with "darker interests." 
    Speaking at a conference organized by the Center for Policy 
Analysis on Palestine, Satterfield also said there was little 
the United States could do unless the Israelis and Palestinians 
took steps to reduce violence and restore confidence. 
    He played down expectations that the Bush administration is 
working on a Middle East peace initiative, saying that the 
parties themselves needed to have a "vision" of peace. 
    "This (an initiative) remains an issue which we look at. We 
will move as appropriate," he added. 
    Satterfield repeated standard U.S. criticism of Israeli 
actions as provocative and inflammatory but his words on the 
Palestinians were tougher than is usual from U.S. officials. 
    "The intifada (Palestinian uprising), whatever its origin, 
has become an ongoing process of calculated terror and 
escalation," he said. 
    The intifada broke out in September 2000 after former U.S. 
President Bill Clinton failed to mediate a peace agreement 
between Israel and the Palestinians at Camp David. 
    At least 688 Palestinians and 182 Israelis have been killed 
in the 13 months of violence, despite sporadic U.S. attempts to 
mediate truces and open the way for peace talks. 
    
    "VIOLENCE, CHAOS AND DESPAIR" 
    The United States, Israel's main ally and source of arms, 
has concentrated on trying to end the violence, without 
demanding that Israel withdraw the West Bank and Gaza or 
offering ideas about the shape a peace settlement might take. 
    Speaking of Arafat's conduct, Satterfield said: "Good 
words, excellent rhetoric, nice instructions sent but very 
little in terms of confronting those elements whose interests 
are not in advancing the cause of the Palestinian people." 
    "Those elements", he said, want to create "violence, chaos 
and despair that advances the darker interests of those like 
Hamas and Jihad Islami (Islamic Jihad), who have little 
interest in a secular Palestinian leadership, little interest 
in seeing a negotiated settlement." 
    "It is in Chairman Arafat's fundamental interests, not 
Israel's, not ours, but his, that he act decisively to confront 
these elements," he said. 
    "In the absence of such concrete steps it is very difficult 
to establish the credibility necessary to advance a meaningful 
political process," he added. 
    He said the intifada had changed Arafat's image in Israel 
back to that of "a terrorist, a rogue, an enemy." 
    "That has to be changed, but it can't be changed by nice 
words by the United States or the Europeans or anyone else. It 
has to change as a result of Arafat's own actions," he added. 
    "Without the will, the determination and courage, without 
vision on the part of the parties themselves ... it would be 
difficult for the U.S. to reach in from outside and compel or 
force a resolution. Indeed, difficult is the wrong word, it's 
simply not possible," he added. 
 ((Jonathan Wright, State Department bureau, +1 202 898 8393, 
fax +1 202 659 5254, jonathan.wright@reuters.com)) 

02 NOV 2001 16:58:04

[CommiesOut]

-

[white trash redneck]

The US State Department accusing the Palestinians of terrorism? Will wonders never cease!? Next, they'll be announcing that the sun rises in the East.

[Cachelot]

The US State Department accusing the Palestinians of terrorism?

They've probably been drinking. Or Bush has had an exorcism performed on them.

[GROUCHOTWO]

Israel=naughty, Arafat=very naughty. Well, that proclamation will solve this 50 year-old mess!

[American Preservative]

FYI: P.L.O.'s Hanan Ashrawi in San Francisco, Monday, November 5

Thought we're fighting a war against terrorism. Isn't this like letting one of bin Laden's mullahs coming over here to speak?

[veronica]

Good post.

[dennisw]

She was born Christian Arab but most likley is now leftist atheist.

[veronica]

Has you noticed that Colin Powell has been less visible in the last week? And Condie Rice has been more visible?

Looks like maybe Bush and Cheney yanked the leash of the Arabists at State Dept a bit.

[veronica]

FYI.

[Redbob]

"Chairman Arafat"?
"CHAIRMAN Arafat"?
He's the friggin' Terrorist-in-Chief!
The Israelis need to off him as the first step to genuine peace.

[Phil V.]

"The intifada (Palestinian uprising), whatever its origin, has become an ongoing process of calculated terror and escalation," he said.

The Jews also have a lot of house cleaning ahead of them.(see link)

[Phil V.]

Has you noticed that Colin Powell has been less visible in the last week?

Has you noticed that Sharon was not invited to speak this Sunday at Rabin's service.
Looks like maybe the peacenicks have had enough "security".

[veronica]

Has you noticed that Sharon was not invited to speak this Sunday at Rabin's service.

No, I did not, but why would he want to go?

[Phil V.]

. . . but why would he want to go?

Let Sharon speak

[veronica]

I don't see anything in that article that stated Sharon really wanted to go. It is a sad fact that Rabin was naive, as even his widow Leah came to realize.

[Phil V.]

It is a sad fact that Rabin was naive . . .

. . . and therefore needed to be eliminated because he was a danger to the State? Huh? What do you mean by naive?

[veronica]

I did not say he should have been eliminated. I said he was politically naive and were he here to see the current intifada, (or 'terror') I believe he would have a much different point of view of Arafat and the whole thing, as his wife in large part came to see.

[Phil V.]

. . . were he here to see the current intifada . . .

Had he not been assassinated it is entirely possible that there would not have been the current intifada.

[American Preservative]

My point was of her espousing her "point of view."

My, looks like her day planner is quite busy -

(From www.jewishsf.com)

SATURDAY/(Nov.)3 7 PM

"Peace and Coexistence in the Middle East -- Are They Possible?" Sponsor: California Congress of Republicans and Republican Arab American Congress. Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Legislative Council, and Yossi Amrani, consul general of Israel, S.F. At San Jose Wyndham Hotel, 1350 N. First St. $55. (408) 278-8355.

__________________

What a f*cking game, IMO.