Posted on 07/30/2002 11:35:02 AM PDT by Thinkin' Gal
King Abdullah says Arab trust of U.S. is low
Tue Jul 30,12:58 PM ET
By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON - King Abdullah of Jordan said Tuesday the Arabs have little trust in the United States using its influence to pressure Israel to give up the West Bank, Gaza and part of Jerusalem.
In a speech in Aspen, Colorado, the king publicly called on President George W. Bush ( news - web sites) to speed up his three-year timetable for turning over Israeli-held land to the Palestinians for a state.
"We need to expedite this target date so that the Israeli occupation can end sooner," he said.
Abdullah is due to meet with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and other top administration officials on Wednesday and then with Bush at the White House on Thursday.
Bush is the first U.S. president to openly support statehood for the Palestinians. His timetable calls first for bolstering security in the area to protect Israel from Palestinian terror and for reform within the Palestinian Authority ( news - web sites).
But the king said establishing democratic reforms and free market institutions in "Palestine" would mean little if Israel could bring commerce and daily life to a halt — as it has in retaliating against Palestinian suicide attacks.
Abdullah, whose kingdom is predominantly Palestinian, said the essential U.S. role in resolving the conflict between Israel and the Arabs is universally recognized.
"Yet," he said, "I must tell you that Arab trust of U.S. influence remains rather low."
"This is all the more reason for the U.S. to show its commitment to fairness and freedom and lead the way to peace," Abdullah said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres also plans to hold talks in Washington on Thursday with White House, State Department and Pentagon ( news - web sites) officials.
Peres also is trying to accelerate the process of making peace between Israel and the Palestinians. A longtime dove, Peres favors major concessions by Israel.
The king also will ask that international monitors be stationed in the area to oversee actions by Israel and the Palestinian Authority and he may try to discourage Bush from approving an attack on Iraq, Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher told reporters in Washington on Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell ( news - web sites), now on a trip to Asia, is making arrangements to meet with Palestinians upon his return to Washington next week.
Bush has called for replacing Yasser Arafat ( news - web sites) as the Palestinian leader and accused the Palestinian Authority, which Arafat heads, of corruption and involvement in terror attacks against Israel.
But the shunning of Arafat does not appear to exclude high-level U.S. meetings with Palestinians appointed to their posts by Arafat.
State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said Monday, "We are looking for people who can make a difference, who can speak for the Palestinian community."
No problem - we don't trust the Arabs either.
Jews have little trust in King Abdullah using his influence to pressure Arabs to stop murdering Jews no matter how much territory they can be coerced into surrendering.
</sarcasm>
Down with the House of Saud! Declare it a Terrorist organization!
That is true, but has there ever been a time when Arab trust was high? I am thinking probably not.
BUMP!!!
When will Jordan hand over the northern part of the Hijaz to the Sauds?
Or rather, when will the Sauds give the Hijaz back to the Hashemites?
When will Syria set Lebanon free?
So many occupiers, so few Jews. The Magen David needs to fly over Mecca, Baghdad, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, Cairo, Tripoli, Tehran...
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