Secretary Powell Comments on Larry King Live (excerpts)

MR. KING: A long time ago, you told me that of all the conflicts you've seen, nothing compares to the hostility of the Mideast, Palestinians and the Jews. And now we have Sharon agreeing, the President agreeing with Sharon, they're going to reduce some of the settlements -- and his own party turns it down. What's your reaction?

SECRETARY POWELL: His party turned it down, but the polling among all Israelis suggest that there is an overwhelming support, level of support. Now, what does that mean?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, we'll have to see. Mr. Sharon is a master soldier and a master politician, and we'll see how he deals with this party setback. But what he has going for him is that most Israelis want to see a change of the kind he described.

Now it's very controversial issue right now because President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon made some statements a couple of weeks ago, where the President, if you read what he said, the President said we believe in 242, 338, those hallmark UN resolutions; we, the United States, believe that, ultimately, all the final status issues have to be resolved by the two parties talking to each other and arriving at mutual agreement on all of these issues.

The President said he is committed to the roadmap. Mr. Sharon agreed with all of that. The debate we've had and the reaction that we've had has to do with also the President saying that there are certain realities we have to take into account: one of them dealing with the right of return, and the other one dealing with we're going to have to have some adjustments to the armistice line because of population changes.

But, ultimately, what those adjustments are and how you ultimately resolve right of return is a final status issue to be resolved between the two parties negotiating with one another.

SECRETARY POWELL: I've learned over the years to be careful about lights and tunnels when it comes to the Middle East. But here is what I see. With this intention expressed by Mr. Sharon -- for the first time, we have an Israeli Prime Minister who is saying unilaterally, "I'm going to pull settlements out." So settlements are coming out.

Where were we before he said that and the President indicated support? We were essentially just debating these issues. For several years, we've just been debating these issues and not making much progress.

So even though people are a little disappointed, and some are greatly disappointed, on what the President said and what we agreed to with Prime Minister Sharon, what they really ought to be looking at is that we now have an Israeli Prime Minister who has stood up with support of most of his people and said we're going to pull all of the settlements out of Gaza, 21 settlements, and four out of the West Bank, not as the end of a process, but at the beginning of a process.

And let's do this, turn Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority, let them have responsibility for security. Let's build up their economy. Let's take all of that settlement property, put it in trust, and then convert it so that it benefits the Palestinian people who will be living in Gaza.

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, you know, it requires people of good faith, who are interested in peace to take advantage of this opportunity. We've been here in New York all day with what's called the Quartet. Secretary General Annan --

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, Secretary General Annan of -- the United Nations Secretary General, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, and the European Union represented by Brian Cowen, the Irish Foreign Minister, we were here all day long discussing this issue, noting what has been disappointing to some of the Arab audiences with respect to the realisms that I spoke about.

But we came out with a positive statement where all of us are joined together saying that an opportunity has presented itself that we should not lose, and let's figure out how to work with the Palestinians, work with the Israelis, work with the Arabs, work with the international community, to take advantage of this opportunity, even though there are some who may not see the opportunity quite the way we see it.

MR. KING: Is it sometimes difficult to stay at something when tomorrow's headline could produce a grenade in a bus somewhere?

SECRETARY POWELL: It's very hard. And it's tragic that every time we have started to see movement, a terrorist comes along and kills innocent people and stops that forward progress. We can't let that happen anymore or again. We've got to keep moving forward. We've got to find a way to bust through this.

But frankly, Larry, the problem would be a lot easier to deal with if we could get the Palestinian Authority to take serious action against terrorist organizations, against those in the Palestine community who are not interested in the dream of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel, but are only interested in destroying Israel. That's not going to happen. It's not going to happen.

And so terrorism has to be brought to an end, and that has to be part of going forward on this new opportunity.

MR. KING: We'll be right back. We have two segments to go with Colin Powell, the Secretary of State. Don't go away.

MR. KING: In diplomacy, Mr. Secretary, you have to walk kind of a thin line sometimes. And I know you know Yasser Arafat well. Now, Mr. Sharon has said his pulling back on that statement that we will not assassinate Arafat, that's off the table. Would that upset the applecart if that happened?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes. We don't think that would be in the interests of the peace process and that's why President Bush continues to --

SECRETARY POWELL: -- let Prime Minister Sharon know that he opposes that. And that's why President Bush continues to believe he has a commitment from Prime Minister Sharon that it isn't going to happen.

MR. KING: But what happened with the reports that he has supposedly taken that off the table? Not true?

SECRETARY POWELL: All I know is what the President has been led to believe and the commitment that he believes he has.

What a bunch of dilusions and lack of clarity in the war on terror:

we, the United States, believe that, ultimately, all the final status issues have to be resolved by the two parties talking to each other and arriving at mutual agreement on all of these issues.

So issues of the right of return, Jerusalem, borders, etc. are all still open as long as the PLO doesn't agree to Israeli demands.

for the first time, we have an Israeli Prime Minister who is saying unilaterally, "I'm going to pull settlements out." So settlements are coming out.

And Israel gets what in return? Funny that its up to Israel to start the process for "peace" by expelling Jews.

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY HAS 98% OF GAZA RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT IS THERE? TERRORISM! The Palestinian Authority is a terrorist regime that is allied with Hamas and the rest of the terror organizations. You all remember the threads showing how the PA "police" engages in terror, or that its official media and mosques spread incitement and glorification of terror. Why does the US not realize this and still consider it a partner for peace? What does the US still send it millions of dollars each year? PA's idea of responsibility for security means that "policemen" take part in terror attacks and provide cover for Islamic terrorism. There are numerous reports of this happening and numerous reports showing the Palestinian Authority engages in terrorism! Even the State Dept. Website says so! So they want a terror regime to be in charge of going after terrorism? Its just like saying the Taliban should be in charge of going after Al Queda!

The PA security services remained fragmented and ineffective. The services were also hobbled by corruption, infighting, and poor leadership. There are indications that some personnel in the security services, including several senior officers, have continued to assist terrorist operations.

We can't let that happen anymore or again. We've got to keep moving forward. We've got to find a way to bust through this.

So no matter how many people terrorists murder in Israel, the "peace process" is still on.

the problem would be a lot easier to deal with if we could get the Palestinian Authority to take serious action against terrorist organizations

The Palestinian Authority is a TERRORIST REGIME.

against those in the Palestine community

"Palestine" community? What's that?

On killing Arafat:

We don't think that would be in the interests of the peace process

So removing an obstacle to the peace process would be against peace. What great logic.

And that's why President Bush continues to believe he has a commitment from Prime Minister Sharon that it isn't going to happen.

Hypocritical.

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