Rice urges Israel to avoid unilateral steps on Jerusalem

Last Update: 06/02/2005 20:55
Rice urges Israel to avoid unilateral steps on J'lem
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent Haaretz Staff and Agencies

Prime Miniser Ariel Sharon and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ahead of their talks in Jerusalem on Sunday.
(AP)

Condoleezza Rice laying a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem on Sunday.
(Reuters)

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday met with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and President Moshe Katsav, and urged them to maintain the status quo over Jerusalem, and avoid taking any unilateral steps on the disputed capital which could harm Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Israeli sources said Rice was referring to the government's decision from last summer to apply the absentee property law to tens of thousands of dunams (acres) of Palestinian property in East Jerusalem. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz last week instructed Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order an immediate halt to the application of the law. The sources said Rice may also have been referring to the decision to build the separation fence in Jerusalem, and to expand Jewish neighborhoods in the city.

Rice said Sunday that the disengagement plan is an historic opportunity, and that the future security of Palestinians and Israelis will be ensured only by two states exisiting side by side.

In an interview with TV Channel 2 Rice emphasized the importance of direct contact between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, and minimum involvement of mediators such as the U.S.

When asked about the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the secretary of state said that while new demographic realities since 1967 must be taken into account, the parties must reach an agreement accommodating to the needs of them both.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who was the first Israeli official to meet with Rice on Sunday, told the secretary of state, "Israel will not relinquish its sovereignty over Jerusalem. The issue of Jerusalem will be left to the final status agreement, but we have to intention to harm the Palestinians."

Rice also said that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan must be implemented without delay, and carried out according to its timetable. She told Shalom that Abu Mazen [Abbas] was elected through democratic elections and he needs as much help as possible to give a firm basis to his leadership. Shalom responded that "the pain of the settlers [to be evacuated under the plan] must be understood and empathy must be shown. These people do not know where they will live or where they will work.

Rice arrived in Israel in an optimistic mood Sunday afternoon, as she prepared for talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials two days before the first official Middle East summit since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat last November.

Her first stop was a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, where she laid a wreath inside the Hall of Remembrance.

She then met with Shalom, followed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. She is also due to meet President Moshe Katsav later Sunday.

Ahead of their meeting, Sharon said he was sure his talks with Rice would "contribute to the friendly relations between the two countries." Sharon said he also expected her visit to contribute to the peace process, "which we want to very much want to push forward in the region."

In response, Rice said U.S.-Israel relations were solid "because we share not just interests but values." She said her goal was to "try to advance the cause of peace and to overcome the scourge of terrorism."

Before meeting Shalom, Rice said, "we will ask of our partners and our friends in Israel that Israel continues to make the hard decisions that must be taken in order to promote peace and... the emergence of a democratic Palestinian state.

"This is a time of optimism because fundamental changes are underway in the Middle East as a whole," she added.

After their meeting, Shalom told Channel 2 television that he gave Rice Israel's demands of the Palestinians.

"If the Palestinians do not to everything to halt the smuggling of weapons through tunnels, close the tunnels, close the weapons workshops, gather up illegal weapons - we would simply be giving the violent groups time to regroup and then carry out terror attacks that could collapse the whole process," he said.

On Monday, Rice will travel to the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia.

Tuesday's summit, hosted and initiated by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, will be attended by Sharon, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah.

Although the U.S. has said that the secretary of state will not attend the talks, her agenda is likely to include in part a review of the plans for the summit.

Rice has signaled she prefers to see Sharon and Abbas make progress as free of foreign mediation as possible.

"I hope we would all get into a mind-set that says if the parties are able to continue to move on their own, that's the very best outcome," Rice told reporters en route to Ankara, the stop before Israel.

Preparations for the Egypt summit are being finalized, but not before her arrival.

Israeli officials assessed that the secretary of state would commend both sides on their recent efforts.

Paul Patin, a spokesman of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, said Rice would bring up a wide range of issues, including Israel's commitment under the internationally backed road map peace plan to dismantle dozens of unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts and Israeli gestures to the Palestinians, such as the removal of Israeli checkpoints that disrupt Palestinian travel - gestures that would bolster confidence in the new Palestinian leadership.

"Outposts are something that they promised to remove years ago and we expect them to abide by their commitments," Patin said.

She is also expected to call on the Palestinians to do more to restore security and bring an end to violence.

For their part, the Americans are trying to play down Rice's absence from the Egyptian summit.

"It is not necessary to participate at the highest level in every gathering in order to be a major player and part of the solution," a State Department spokesman explained Saturday.

In Israel, police raised their level of operations in various regions around the country Sunday, in anticipation of Rice's arrival and the run-up to Tuesday's summit.

Police decided to bolster forces around the country and checkpoints were set up between the seam line and various Israeli cities. Police will conduct both regular and undercover patrols.

Sharon may invite Mubarak Israeli officials, meanwhile, said Sunday that Sharon may invite his Egyptian counterpart to visit Israel during Tuesday's summit, as relations between the former enemies continue to flourish.

The invitations "is quite likely," said an unnamed official. "We would very much like him to come."

In recent months relations have improved as Egypt took a larger role in mediating between Israel and the Palestinians. The last visit by an Egyptian leader to Israel was by Mubarak in 1995, when he came to the funeral of assassinated prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

3) Without American aid, the Jews of America would have to reassess their contribution to American society. Would American Jews really want to continue living in such a country? I doubt it. And without that Jewish contribution America would just be another second-rate nation.
4) If America did withdraw its support, my guess is that Israel's next partner would be China.

Go for it. Let Israel tell us to take a hike. I'm honestly willing to risk it. Are you?

How about Europe?

Everyone forgets how much military aid the US gives Europe. NATO dwarfs Israeli aid. Do we tell them what to do while we pay for their universal health care, 30 hour work week, and one month annual vacations? They have no militaries because we are covering their a**es.

If the strings on aid require Israel to go against its national interest which the last time caused the Intifadah and many dead and maimed Israelis, Israel can not go along come what may. Call the bluff.

How about Europe?

Everything's changed since 9/11. Don't think that we will automatically defend Europe now.

So I agree - call the bluff. If Israel wants to stick a finger in our eye - let them reap the consequences.

And in what way would putting a bunch of Islamic (Hamas, Hezbollah)and Communist (Fatah) terrorists in charge of a state contribute to stability in the region? It seems to me we just fought a war to rid the region of one of those.

Further, don't underestimate the Israelis. The Brits did that and lost. The Arabs did that and lost several times. They are a 55 year old country and they are the third largest military vendor in the world.

You don't read Huntington much do you.

Don't think that we will automatically defend Europe now.

Of course we will. Don't be naive

So did I miss the reports of how we were defunding the US's 2/3 share of the NATO budget? That gave us a lot of clout with Europe didn't it? France, Germany and now Spain really have been great supporters in the WOT, right?

Israel is much more grateful and mindful of what the US asks. And faces far greater risks for it.

One more thing. This is not about sticking a finger in the eye of the US, or about money (France in Iraq), this is about Israel's survival. Now that may not be your concern but as a sovereign nation Israel has a responsibility to its citizens just like the US does.

Israel is much more grateful and mindful of what the US asks. And faces far greater risks for it.

Oh, so now Israel is grateful :-)

I repeat, do not think that we will defend Europe anymore. Times have changed. And if Israel decides to stick a finger in our eye - then as far as I'm concerned - let them reap the consequences.

Israel has had no better friend than America these last four years - but you sure wouldn't know it from the insulting and hostile posts here.

Be careful how arrogant you get...

Could you imagine Israel telling the U.S. what to do in Washington?

Truthfully, I am only shocked at the open statements of Condi Rice. Maybe I am mistaken, but up until now the US has been careful not to make its thoughts "public" in dealing with Israel.

IMHO, this represents a threat to the actual existence of Israel. I am not sure if Rice represents a new aggressiveness on the part of the administration or if it is her own "style". She is a problem any way you look at her.

Israel doesnt need America's aid!

Israel was fine before 1973 when they went on the US welfare roll.

Only 2% of Israel's budget is US Aid. The sooner they get off US welfare the better. And plus the US gives much more to the Muslims and we get Nothing in Return but hate.

No, I'm happy here, thank you. My pro-US bona fides are in no way compromised by making the point that Israel is concerned about its survival. I assumed this site was for thinking conservatives not name calling, but if your only answer in an argument is to say I don't fit your criteria for a conservative maybe you have a problem. Let's stick to issues.

I never questioned what a good friend the US was to Israel. I in no way believe that Pres Bush intentionally wants to undermine Israel's survival. My point was that unlike Europe (and Egypt) it was a two way street.

My second point was that Israel as a sovereign country ultimately has to decide what is best for it. There is a patronizing aspect to this that does not come into play with Europe as I pointed out earlier.

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