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Palestinians Say Bush Is an Obstacle to Peace
Reuters ^ | June 25, 2002 | Nidal al-Mughrabi

Posted on 06/25/2002 3:04:09 PM PDT by xvb

Palestinians Say Bush Is an Obstacle to Peace

June 25, 2002

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - Ordinary Palestinians branded President Bush an obstacle to peace Tuesday, saying his Middle East policy speech would encourage Israel to go on occupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"It was a silly speech by a silly and weak president," said teacher Ahmed A'lesh. "It would have been better if Bush had shut up instead of inciting against (Palestinian President Yasser) Arafat and branding us with 'terrorism."'

Bush, in the long-awaited speech Monday night, said the United States would support the creation of a Palestinian state but only when the Palestinians had a new leadership that was "not compromised by terror."

"He could have done a lot to boost our hopes. He should have urged Israel to pull out immediately. That way and only that way he could have ended the bloodshed," said Amer Khaled, a store owner in Gaza City.

In Ramallah, one of seven West Bank cities under Israeli reoccupation and curfew after a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings, Hussam al-Jamal called Bush's address disappointing and unbalanced.

"It reflected a total bias toward Israel," he said.

Palestinians have long accused the United States of siding with Israel in conflict with Arab neighbors.

Palestinians, who had hoped against hope for a ringing Bush statement favoring Palestinian independence, said it lacked a decisive call on Israel to pull troops out of conflict zones in Gaza and the West Bank to lay the foundation of a new state.

They said Bush had no business demanding the ouster of Arafat, 73, who has spearheaded Palestinian aspirations to statehood since the 1960s.

"We also believe the Americans deserve a better leader than Bush. He is an obstacle to peace," said Ali Mohammad-Ali, a 35-year-old electrician.

PUZZLED BY LEADERS' RESPONSE

Ordinary Palestinians said they were puzzled by a cautious statement from the Palestinian Authority welcoming Bush's speech as a "serious contribution" to peace efforts, while asking for more detail and ignoring his call for a leadership change.

"I think we understood the speech in one way and the leadership understood it another way," said Samar Hawash, a union activist in the West Bank city of Nablus, now under Israeli military curfew.

Bush's speech was also seen among Palestinians as a victory for right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's harsh military response to the uprising launched 21 months ago after negotiations on terms for a Palestinian state foundered.

The uprising has been waged mainly by militant groups who have carried out suicide bombings that have killed scores of civilians inside Israel, in addition to soldiers and Jewish settlers in the two territories.

Many Palestinians say the bombings constitute their sole weapon against overwhelming Israeli military superiority and the government's commitment to preserving Jewish settlements.

"Bush spoke in English but it was a true translation of Sharon's agenda," said Hawash.

Palestinians in all seven West Bank cities reoccupied by the Israeli army watched the Bush speech live on television as Israeli tanks and armored vehicles rumbled outside.

Israeli troops in Nablus ejected Nazeh Qasem, 45, and his family from their house so they could turn it into a makeshift base. He said Israeli soldiers made fun of him as he moved into a neighbor's house Tuesday morning.

"I think the soldiers were laughing at us because of what Bush had said," he told Reuters by telephone.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/25/2002 3:04:09 PM PDT by xvb
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To: xvb
Latest news:

Pot says Kettle is Black.

When I first say the headline to this post, I thought it was satire. Sadly not. What a world.

2 posted on 06/25/2002 3:12:19 PM PDT by Tomalak
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To: xvb
Let's see, since 1976 the USA has had 5 different POTUS, Israel has had about the same amount of Prime Ministers and let's see, how many Chairman's of the PLO??

Think, think, think.

Common thread in any of this? Think, think, think.

3 posted on 06/25/2002 3:12:26 PM PDT by Mean Daddy
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To: xvb
TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK. Give them both 72 hrs to reach an agreement or let the final battle begin. Where would we have been if GW would have kept out & let Arafat reach room temp?
4 posted on 06/25/2002 3:15:56 PM PDT by Digger
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To: xvb
The only way to piece is through homicide bombings - little pieces that is.
5 posted on 06/25/2002 3:18:23 PM PDT by Brett66
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To: xvb
The headline should read: "PALESTINIANS SAY BUSH IS AN OBSTABLE TO TERROR SYMPATHIZERS"
6 posted on 06/25/2002 3:29:56 PM PDT by RasterMaster
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To: xvb
"Palestinians Say Bush Is an Obstacle to Peace"

Really? I thought those were called suicide bombers that were the obstacles of peace? I guess I had it all wrong.

7 posted on 06/25/2002 3:45:40 PM PDT by Enemy Of The State
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To: xvb
Great. What else do they want this self-worship? French fries? Ketchup?

Nice to know we thought we could have intelligent conversations with these people and that they would appreciate our input, however sinful.

8 posted on 06/25/2002 3:48:10 PM PDT by lavaroise
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To: xvb
Great. What else do they want WITH this self-worship? French fries? Ketchup?

Nice to know we thought we could have intelligent conversations with these people and that they would appreciate our input, however sinful.

9 posted on 06/25/2002 3:48:36 PM PDT by lavaroise
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To: xvb
Do we have allot of Palestinians on FR? There seems to be allot fo similarities in opinion.
10 posted on 06/25/2002 3:49:30 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: xvb
Tough - guess they have decided they don't want a Palestinian state or the U.S. help.
11 posted on 06/25/2002 4:07:32 PM PDT by ClancyJ
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