U.S. Urged to Step Down in Mideast

Yahoo ^ | 4-3-02

[hope]

Wed Apr 3, 9:01 AM ET

By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press Writer

LUXEMBOURG (AP) - Declaring American mediation in the Middle East a failure, the EU executive urged the United States on Wednesday to stand down as primary peacemaker and let a broad alliance of nations mediate a cease-fire and a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

Photos AP Photo

The call came as foreign ministers from the European Union (news - web sites) were gathering for an urgent session here about the violence in the Middle East, where Israel has launched a large-scale assault in the West Bank after a string of Palestinian suicide bombings.

"It is clear (American) mediation efforts have failed and we need new mediation" before the Israeli-Palestinian conflict balloons into an all-out regional war, European Commission (news - web sites) President Romano Prodi told reporters in Brussels.

Prodi said the ministers' meeting should endorse a call for new negotiations, involving not only the United States, but also the European Union, the United Nations (news - web sites), Russia, moderate Arab states, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites).

"We cannot get out of this situation with any other, partial solutions," said Prodi, who heads the EU's executive body. "Further escalation of the crisis must be avoided at all costs."

The United States has dominated mediation since 1993 Israeli-Palestinian accords. The EU, the largest donor of aid to the Palestinians, has long sought to play a greater Mideast peace role but has always been stymied by the United States and Israel, which sees some European governments as pro-Arab. President Bush (news - web sites) has backed Israel's military operation, calling it self-defense.

Meanwhile, the Vatican (news - web sites) warned Wednesday of the "dramatic situation" in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, where Israeli troops took control on Tuesday and battled Palestinian gunmen, some of whom fled into the Church of the Nativity, marking the site where tradition says Jesus was born.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Holy See expresses "unequivocal condemnation of terrorism, from whichever side it comes" and criticized "injustice and humiliation imposed on the Palestinian people" and reprisals that "only increase the sense of frustration and hatred."

Prodi reiterated EU demands that Israel withdraw from the West Bank, end its siege of Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s headquarters in Ramallah and enable the Palestinian leader to move around freely.

The EU has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites)'s proposal that European diplomats take Arafat into exile in Europe. "Arafat will leave when he wants to leave, on his own volition," said Prodi.

French President Jacques Chirac suggested the EU foreign ministers send a delegation to meet with Sharon and Arafat to try to stop the escalation.

Meanwhile, Switzerland warned Wednesday that it was reconsidering its economic and military ties with Israel because of the West Bank military operation. The government was concerned about violations of international humanitarian law by Israel, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Muriel Berset Kohen without elaboration. Switzerland is a buyer of Israeli-made military hardware.

[Dan Day]

Declaring American mediation in the Middle East a failure, the EU executive urged the United States on Wednesday to stand down as primary peacemaker and let a broad alliance of nations mediate a cease-fire and a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

American mediation failure? As opposed to what, all the great EU successes in the Middle East?

What makes them think they've got any better solutions?

[isthisnickcool]

Let the EU handle this on their own? OK with me. Maybe they can get the French to run point for them?

[white trash redneck]

Switzerland warned Wednesday that it was reconsidering its economic and military ties with Israel

What about the gold they have that the Nazis stole from Jews?

[mamelukesabre]

God, I wish someone in our government would tell these euros off really good. It's actually starting to make me angry that it hasn't been done already.

[Catspaw]

Aren't these the same folks that not two or three weeks ago were BEGGING the United States to get involved in the peace process? Now they don't want us?

Sheesh, you think they could make up their minds.

[tcostell]

In a related story, the government of France in an indecisive moment, has surrended simultaneously to Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Iraq, and to a man on a Paris street corner who was described by witnesses as being of "middle eastern" descent and looking "awfully angry".

[goodnesswins]

BBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[dawn53]

French President Jacques Chirac suggested the EU foreign ministers send a delegation to meet with Sharon and Arafat to try to stop the escalation.

I think Jacques needs to keep those ministers in France to try to figure out a solution and keep synagogues from burning in their own country.

[ladtx]

Good! Let them have it. Although we should reserve the right to intervene if we see a threat to the nation of Israel or our national security.

[rhombus]

I'm sure the Europeans will do as well as they did in the 1940s. Ah yes! Peace in our time!

[joebuck]

"Declaring American mediation in the Middle East a failure, the EU executive urged the United States on Wednesday to stand down as primary peacemaker and let a broad alliance of nations mediate a cease-fire and a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement."

Translation: Please step aside and let us threaten and browbeat the Jews into giving their country away and living on their knees in the meantime.

[DoughtyOne]

I'm going to have to admit the EU probably is more in touch with the middle-east. Now that Jews are being targeted there, they can always appeal to the middle-easterners saying, "Look, we're allowing attacks on our soil. We're clearly neutral." The EU has basicly sunk to not much more than a sick joke.

If you're not with us...

[ppaul]

The US should butt out.
We should tell Israel, do what you have to do.
We understand.
But we cannot be involved.
And then leave them alone to do their thing, thank you very much.

[onedoug]

The EU should field a force, spearheaded by French with white flags, and march into Israel to impose their will.

[JennysCool]

Yeah. As I recall, we weren't "engaged" enough then. Guess the engagement's off.

[Catspaw]

I'm sure the Europeans will do as well as they did in the 1940s. Ah yes! Peace in our time!

I just have this vision of an overweight puppy on its back, cowering in submission.

BTW, they just up Arafat's booty from the EU another $50 mil. They're probably mad that the IDF bombing the living hell out of his seaside villa in the Gaza Strip last month--after all, it was bought & paid for with their money.

[Dog]

Declaring American mediation in the Middle East a failure, the EU executive urged the United States on Wednesday to stand down as primary peacemaker and let a broad alliance of nations mediate a cease-fire and a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

This freaking cheese eating....... wine sipping EU weenie needs to shut the to hell up....

If these weenies ever need their bacon pulled out of the grinder they can go scratch their cheese stinking butts!

[HELLRAISER II]

Amen Brother, go ahead Israel kick their well deserving @ss!