Posted on 10/19/2005 1:38:22 PM PDT by Sabramerican
Rice: Israeli settlements contravene U.S. policy
By Shmuel Rosner and Arnon Regular, Haaretz Correspondents, and the Associated Press
Several hours ahead of her meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States delivered harsh messages to Israel over construction between Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ma'aleh Adumim, which contravenes the Bush Administration policy in the Middle East.
Speaking at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Rice said that the U.S. is concerned about Israeli construction in the West Bank, and cuts back on economic aid to Israel due to its continued settlement activity.
Earlier on Wednesday a senior U.S. official said the Bush administration is asking Abbas to require candidates in next January's election to renounce violence as a means of easing tensions with Israel, Wednesday.
But Edward Abington, a former U.S. consul-general in Jerusalem who advises the Palestinian leadership, said Abbas prefers bringing Hamas and other militant groups into the political process where he hopes to bind them to law-and-order legislation.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretzdaily.com ...
asking Abbas to require candidates in next January's election to renounce violence
Israel gets harsh messages about building homes.
Abbas gets "asked" about supporting terrorists.
I can't say that I agree with this, what with all the bombing going on and all.
But I am feeling a bit cramped by the overall heavyhandedness I sense from Condi. I wonder if it's a symptom of heavy handedness across the board in the present admin. Of course, the alternative is so rotten as to make anything seem more desirable. Maybe it's time for a third party.
No one can any longer pretend to both support Israel and this Administration.
More Bush administration stupidity.
Since they can think this clearly on this subject how do you suppose that they can think at all regarding the Supremes nominees?
Evenhandedness would be an improvement for this Administration.
Oh please. That just isn't true. They do want Israel to stop expanding the settlements though.
"The U.S. administration believes Abbas' regime must be bolstered, including by means of supplying it with arms and ammunition to combat the terror organizations. Israel is opposed to the sale of arms to the Palestinians. Under a possible compromise, ***Israel may eventually agree to the supply of ammunition to the PA, but no new weapons."
The US wants Israel to give it's enemy ammunition???
If they at least would give the Israelis a free hand to deal with the terrrorists, but not even that: "The Bush administration is pushing Israel to re-open the roads in Judea and Samaria to Arab traffic despite a terror attack on Sunday that left three young Israelis dead and four injured."
President Bush has shown that a policy directly opposite to appeasement worked in Afghanistan and Iraq. Why change a winning concept? Why this hypocrisy vis-à-vis Israel and the Palestinian terrorists??
as an european who suported Bush ,I feel totally let down.
What is going on ?????
I thought it was a war against terror.
I wish Israel would tell Bush to go to hell.
I expect a lot of negative mail or even being booted from Free Republic,but, as an European who spend the last few yeaas defending Bush...i feel a fool.
Disappointed - deeply.
... and Arab terrorism? Ms. Rice? Hello?
Bush has betrayed Israel.
G-d is not amused.
And you would be right!
having argued for BUSH, i already have had a call from a work colleague, who told me i was stupid.....
I had to agree with him.
And here comes Wilma to punish GW Bush and C Rice
in the form a another Hurricane.
b'shem Y'shua
Some War On Terror, eh?
Every time this administration pushes for Israel to give up more land or make concessions to the Arabs, the US gets hit with a major catastrophe each one more severe than the last (Wilma is churning as I write). During Bush's first term, he supported Israel and had a pretty successful term and won reelection; however his second term is turning out to be disastrous and I believe it's because he has turned his back on Israel. Somebody better get thru to him & Condi that that land is God's convenant land and not theirs (or anybody else's) to parcel out as they see fit otherwise I suspect the US is in for even more wrathful judgements from God.
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