Posted on 10/25/2005 2:34:30 PM PDT by andyk
OTTAWA -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested Tuesday that Israel must loosen controls at border crossings to allow freer passage for Palestinians and economic development in areas that would one day be an independent Palestinian state.
Rice spoke in the Canadian capital a day after reports that a top Mideast envoy had criticized Israel for moving too slowly on negotiations to open borders around the Gaza Strip.
Israel withdrew troops and settlers from Gaza over the summer after nearly 30 years. The territory, now under Palestinian control, is on the other side of Israel from the larger Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank, and Palestinians must cross Israel or go through Egypt to pass between the two areas.
"It is very clear that the crossings issues need to get resolved," Rice said.
She did not specifically call on Israel to change its border policies, but did not dispute the findings of envoy James Wolfensohn that Israel was stalling in the restoration of movement across the borders.
Wolfensohn, the former World Bank president now working as a special envoy on behalf of the United States and other foreign mediators, said the delay was preventing him from moving on to larger reconstruction efforts, such as tourism, agriculture and industrial projects.
Borders "need to get freed up so that the kind of economic program we all want to see in the Palestinian territories" can begin, Rice said.
Wolfensohn is "simply asking the parties to do everything they can now that the Israelis are out of the Gaza to make sure that the Gaza is going to be a place where Palestinians can see a different kind of life and therefore start to build the foundations for a Palestinian state," she said.
In an Oct. 17 letter to the U.N. secretary-general obtained by The Associated Press, Wolfensohn said Israel was behaving almost as if the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip never happened.
Without dramatic progress soon, a rare chance to revive Gaza's shattered economy - and the peace process - will be lost, he said.
Israel closed the Rafah crossing into Egypt, Gaza's main link to the outside world, shortly before it withdrew from Gaza. It also has severely restricted the passage of Palestinian laborers and goods in and out of Israel, the main Palestinian export market, since a wave of rocket attacks right after the pullout.
Israeli officials say the measures are solely because of security considerations.
Wolfensohn acknowledged such concerns but said Israel and the Palestinians should be able to quickly resolve differences over borders.
On another subject, Rice said in Canada that the United States wants to resolve a long-standing trade dispute over Canadian lumber.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said Monday he was willing to negotiate a lumber agreement if Washington returned $3.5 billion in contested duties, and he threatened to sue if the United States wouldn't budge.
"I think it's extremely important not to speak in apocalyptic language on this," Rice said at a press conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew.
Pettigrew blamed the U.S. timber industry for pressuring the Bush administration.
"It is a very tough lobby. You have my sympathies, Condi," Pettigrew said.
Rice smiled but did not respond.
The United States accuses Canada of sending millions of board feet of lumber from government-owned timberlands across the border at low prices, making it tough for U.S. companies to compete.
North American Free Trade Agreement panels ruled in favor of Canada and said $3.5 billion in U.S. tariffs and duties collected on Canadian lumber were not justified. The United States claims the tariffs are legal.
How dare the Israelis want to be secure in their borders...who do they think they are, the unappeasable "Sexist/Racist/Eeee-litits" "Extra-chromosome Right-wing" Conservatives?
Now I am certain that I will work HARD against Condi if she tries to run...it's just more pro-Arabist drivel from the family/Cabal that kisses more Saudi a$$ than anyone else!
Hey Condi...if I want to hear the PaleSimian/Islamazi talking points, I'll tune in to Al Jazeera...or watch one of your pressers, apparently!
Yeesh....let me guess...the venom dripping from their lips toward Joooos is another mark of just how "Religious" they are?
Bobby Byrd and "Billy" are pleased.
Good evening and the very best to you and yours.
Semper Fi
Tommie
Basically, you're here to say that you "love" Israel even though they should really be hated.
Socialist would have been an semi apt description a decade ago.
I bet Israel would stop selling services to Venezuela- unless I missed it, not an enemy of the United States- if we would stop selling to Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia.....
As far as I can see from months of posts about her- with no noticeable success anywhere- it's because she looks good in black and boots.
Come on now. "W" trusts her. That should be all it takes on FR for her dumbass stunt to be accepted.
"W" was all we could offer for two elections. Al and Did you know I was in Vietnam Kerry was all the Dems could offer for those two elections. Now Condi is being touted as presidential timber from the conservative side. Our beloved nation is in real trouble if this is the best we can do.
Does joining the State Department lower your IQ?
Got ZOT?
"Basically, you're here to say that you "love" Israel even though they should really be hated."
Um, no.
I'm ethnically Jewish. Several members of the family lives there. Nearly joined the IDF, in fact. Believe in the Biblical borders of Israel. Know they are our best friend in the ME.
That said, they are often troubling. Politically, they make Massachusets look like Texas on many levels.
And Ven. not an enemy of the US? What planet are you on? Here:
Venezuela Trains Citizens to Fight US
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1508462/posts
Venezuela Seeks Nuclear Technology
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1504225/posts
Venezuela Shutter US Businesses
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1499452/posts
Venzuela Harbors Al Quada
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496316/posts
North Korea encourages Venezuela to Withstand US Pressure
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1494059/posts
If they are our enemy we are acting crazier then Israel.
WE buy their oil, enriching them.
Some day they screw up and blame Baptists and then the wrath shall consume them utterly!
I did, very enthusiastically. Taking a second look ...
I produce political tv spots every cycle. If Condi runs I will volunteer my studio's time to defeat her. She is a disgrace.
Exactly. They are not a people. They are Middle East nomads who belong in Jordan.
No way in hell should Israel ever loosen their borders. If the "Palestinians" want their own state, then they have no need to be in Israel.
Good call.
"And people want her in the White House..."
Yep! I'm pro-Israel and I'll be the first to admit that I am not quite sure about this decision on the part of the U.S. but unless she stumbles more severly than this one statement, I'll still say that she is, quite possibly, the only GOP candidate who can beat Hitlery.
Her stand on relinquishing Gaza had already caused me to doubt her, but this is the last straw. I can't imagine what she is thinking. George Allen? No one knows his name, other than those who follow politics. WASS (We Are So Screwed.)
exactly my thoughts!
Urging Israel to adopt the post-9/11 American model, I see.
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