Posted on 07/23/2005 8:08:39 AM PDT by E Rocc
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Saturday the United States wanted to make sure Israel did not keep the Gaza Strip sealed up after its planned withdrawal, echoing a key Palestinian concern.
On a hastily arranged mission to preserve a truce shaken by violence and ensure militant attacks do not hamper Israel's pullout next month, Rice repeated praise for Palestinian efforts on security while adding that more needed to be done.
Her clearest statement yet supporting the Palestinian demand for freedom of movement from Gaza followed a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank -- the other occupied territory the Palestinians want for their state.
"When the Israelis withdraw from Gaza, it cannot be sealed or isolated ... with the Palestinian people closed in after the withdrawal," Rice told a news conference.
"We are committed to connectivity between Gaza and the West Bank and we are committed to openness and freedom of movement for the Palestinian people," she said.
Israel has said it will keep control of Gaza's air and sea space for security reasons, though troops are expected to leave the border with Egypt. There is no Israeli agreement yet on how the Gaza Strip and West Bank might be linked.
The United States sees Israel's withdrawal from the 21 Gaza settlements and four of the 120 in the West Bank as a step toward reviving talks on a "road map" for a Palestinian state and broader peace in the Middle East.
Palestinians welcome the first removal of Jewish settlements from land they seek for a state, but fear Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will strengthen the Israeli hold on the West Bank under what he bills "disengagement" from conflict.
Palestinian officials told Rice that Israel had not done enough to discuss key aspects of the plan.
"Coordinating the Israeli withdrawal from the outset is extremely vital," said Abbas.
DOUBTS ON COOPERATION
Rice held talks with Sharon at his ranch on Friday to push for close coordination, which was given a knock recently by the worst outbreak of violence since the two sides agreed to a cease-fire in February.
Rice said Israelis and Palestinians still "need to provide answers to each other" though she was generally upbeat.
But one Palestinian official complained that Rice had not brought answers from Israel about border crossings, the airport and safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank. She urged the United States to influence its key ally Israel.
"That leverage, that ability to influence, is not being exerted in its full force and we are hoping to see more," Diana Butto told Reuters.
Before leaving the region on Sunday, Rice was scheduled to meet Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.
Israel's main concern right now is that Palestinian militant attacks do not hamper the Gaza withdrawal while security forces are also coping with resistance from settlers and mass protests by their supporters.
Abbas's forces face a challenge from powerful militant groups like Hamas, even though they have agreed to the truce.
Police trying to stop rocket fire at Israel fought with militants this week in the worst internal clashes for years. The Palestinians eventually agreed to stop fighting each other while Israel put an offensive on hold as rocket attacks ebbed.
Israel has criticized Abbas for talking to the militants rather than crushing them and said there can be no statehood talks until the armed factions are dismantled.
Sharon's opponents on the far right say the withdrawal will reward the militants, who themselves claim it as a victory for their uprising. Religious ultranationalists also see land occupied in the 1967 Middle East war as a gift from God.
Some 8,500 settlers would leave Gaza, home to 1.4 million Palestinians, but only a few hundred of more than 230,000 settlers will be removed from the West Bank where they live alongside 2.4 million Palestinians.
-Eric
G-d has the last say :)
Why is Egypt? Why are the Palestinians? If we're going to feed and arm Israel's deadly enemies, we might as well arm Israel too, to be fair.
"The draft of Iraq's new constitution specifically excludes Israelis from obtaining citizenship."
Why should Israel do anything for these demons?
I see no good reason to offer the Palestinans anything.
Islam teaches hated for the Jewish people. Islam needs some of it's own medicine.
You mean like 7 billion dollars to Egypt, with little benefit?
Since when did "freedom" involve letting enemy aliens into your country. The Palestinians will be free to build an economy in Gaza, or, more likely, to kill each other.
It's not as if Gaza is cut off from the world, since it has easy access to the Mediterranean, where they can trade with anyone interested in trading with them.
There's a map here:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/gaza_strip_1999.jpg>
Gazans should have free and open borders with Egypt. BTW, why did sadat refuse to take Gaza back in 1979? Maybe he knew how vile its denuizens were.
Because it keeps the Suez canal open and prevents Saudi Arabia from being turned to glass?
Unacceptable. Palestine does not deserve a state: I remember with bitterness and anger how they celebrated September 11th. We should not reward this kind of behaviour.
Roll right on, Israel.
Regards, Ivan
This is a huge mistake by the Bush Administration.
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oh yea....and those sweet Moon Rocking Palis will quit blowing up Israeli children.
IDF arrests Gaza (Fatah) suicide bomber heading for attack in Tel Aviv
There is no Israeli agreement yet on how the Gaza Strip and West Bank might be linked.
Hey, the GazBa Tunnel, I like it.
Has to be deep though so the blasts never reach the
surface.
There is no Israeli agreement yet on how the Gaza Strip and West Bank might be linked.The linkup might be along the lines of the link between West Germany and West Berlin before the wall came down. Perhaps including tunnels and bridges.
-Eric
U.S. demands more Israeli concessions for the Palestinians.
U.S. requires no reciprocal concessions from the Palestinians.
Yep, real balanced and consistent.
You are comparing Israel to East Germany?
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