Posted on 06/17/2002 11:44:31 PM PDT by kattracks
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:54:48 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
JERUSALEM
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Days ahead of U.S. President George W. Bush's expected speech detailing his revised "Middle East vision," National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said that the administration did not see the Palestinian Authority as a basis for the future Palestinian state. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat responded by saying the Palestinians don't accept orders from anyone.
"Frankly, the PA, which is corrupt and cavorts with terror... is not the basis for a Palestinian state moving forward," Rice said in an interview published over the weekend by the San Jose Mercury News.
Rice indicated that the Bush administration would work to help establish democratic institutions for the Palestinians. The Palestinians would have to determine Arafat's role, she said. "Everybody focuses too much on the personality. If you build the institutions and they are legitimate reformed institutions, they will serve the Palestinian people better, and Arafat - the chips will fall where they may."
"Israel is going to have to make difficult decisions" Rice reiterated the United States' longstanding opposition to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But she said the administration felt it was more important to focus efforts on the "highest leverage points'' - reforming the structure of the Palestinian territories, increasing Arab involvement in the peace process and "getting Israelis to do something about the life of their neighbors, which is frankly horrendous.''
Rice indicated the U.S. would have to push the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to make some difficult decisions regarding a future Palestinian state. "Israel is going to have to do some very hard things,'' Rice said. "They're going to have to make some hard choices about how much it's ready for peace, too.''
While stating her belief that Sharon's government was committed to the peace process, Rice was confident that Israeli citizens could determine the future course of negotiations. "I believe that there's one great thing about democracy, which is if the current Israeli government isn't willing to make those decisions and the Israeli people want to make those decisions, they have a mechanism for actually changing the government,'' Rice said.
Rice said that President Bush had no plans to push forward peace initiatives promoted by former President Bill Clinton. "We're not going back down that road,'' she said.
Arafat today blasted Rice's statements regarding the Palestinian Authority. "We are doing what we see as good for our people and we do not accept any orders from anyone," he said while touring schools in Ramallah.
This is the Palestinian version of "one man, one vote".
"Frankly, the PA, which is corrupt and cavorts with terror... is not the basis for a Palestinian state moving forward," Rice said
And this is music.
A Palestinian man hoses off debris outside Yasser Arafat's compound in the West Bank City of Ramallah June 13, 2002. Israeli tanks and troops pulled back from around Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's headquarters after a siege lasting nearly three days and withdrew from the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
Israeli Army soldiers stand atop an armored troop carrier in front of the recently-shelled compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, during the second day of an Israeli incursion in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, June 11, 2002. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
A Palestinian soldier walks through rubble inside the compound of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 7, 2002. Israeli tanks and troops blew up buildings and shelled Arafat's living quarters on Thursday in a six-hour reprisal raid on his presidential compound after the bombing of a bus in the Galilee a day earlier. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
Two Palestinian security officers read local newspapers in front of their damaged offices at Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Friday, June 7, 2002. The compound was assaulted by Israeli troops on Thursday in retaliation for Wednesday's bus bombing. Arafat asked the United States Friday to convene a Mideast peace conference as quickly as possible. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
Well you get the picture. It's just a matter of time. He's probably praying for an end anyway.
What a monster! Arafat has no right to dictate to Israelis how their Israel should look.
True, but by the same token the Old Terrorist has no right to tell us who we should deal with and who we should aid. Hint: it's no longer His Irrelevency, Mr. Arafat.
Like squirelling away the money intended for the betterment of your people into your own private foreign bank accounts?
Thanks for all the pings on C.R., Ill just respond on this thread. The arab world seem to be beating up on poor Condoleezza today, which clearly means shes doing her job keeping track and thwarting Americas enemies.
Shes a jewel. My impression is that her political ambitions are limited (with respect to the world she lives in) and that she has gone as far as she will go without holding elective office.
I know, shes cabinet level already, but there are elective positions she can rise to. Shes not only an electoral asset, IMO shes an American who will faithfully fulfill the duties of whatever office shes elected to. If the Republicans let her get away, its a reflection of their lack of vision and political infighting. They deserve to lose.
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