U.S. demanding Israel formally accept road map

Ha'aretz ^ | 05-22-03

[Brian S]

The U.S. administration is demanding Israel formally accept the road map to a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so that it does not appear to be recalcitrant trying to delay advancing the political process.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's chief of staff, attorney Dov Weisglass met Wednesday with U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in an effort to find a formula that would enable Israel to accept the plan, while taking into account its comments and reservations about it. Rice also meant with Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, who is in Washington for parallel talks with administration officials.

Meanwhile, reports in the U.S. press say President George W. Bush is considering inviting Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to a three-way summit in Geneva, possibly next week, when Bush is attending a G8 summit. The New York Times reported Wednesday morning that Bush is also considering a Middle East trip, to promote his peace plan, but Israeli and American officials downplayed the idea, saying it would not be likely if the president was not certain of achieving progress during the trip.

As reported Wednesday night by Channel Two news, the U.S. administration has reversed its position in the last two days. Until now, the Americans have been saying there is no importance to a formal acceptance of the plan, and that the important thing is to start its implementation on the ground.

But the Palestinians have insisted that they won't start acting against terror until Israel declares its formal acceptance of the road map. The issue was at the heart of the meeting between Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting last Saturday night.

U.S. President George W. Bush told Sharon on Tuesday that it is important to proceed with the political process according to the road map. American officials told senior Israeli officials that they are under heavy pressure from Arab countries to make Israel accept the road map. They made clear that the issue of "acceptance" not become an obstacle to its implementation, giving the Palestinians an excuse not to act against the terror groups. The administration has also rejected Israel's distinction between Bush's June 24 speech and the road map meant to implement it.

The road map, which was formally presented to the sides on April 30, calls for a three-phase process: calming the situation on the ground; establishment of a Palestinian state in provisional borders; and a permanent agreement by 2005. Israel has accepted the phases in principle, but has presented many reservations about the specifics of the plan, starting with a demand the process begin with the Palestinians dropping their demand for the right of return of refugees to the country.

The road map puts the refugee issue in the third phase of the process, during the final status negotiations. Israel is also against the road map's predication on the Saudi Arabian initiative, which calls for an Israeli withdrawal from all the territories captured in 1967. Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom have told the Americans that the road map, in its current form, could not pass the current government coalition.

The administration is also demanding that Sharon dismantle the illegal outposts in the West Bank, in a move that is clearly seen by the world, immediately after the next meeting between Sharon and Bush. But the administration has accepted an Israeli distinction being drawn between "illegal" outposts and "legal" ones. For Washington, the issue has become a matter of Sharon meeting his commitments.

[Brian S]

It's about to get interesting it seems!

[Cicero]

This is just plain downright boneheaded.

[Bahbah]

Israel cannot accept this thing as it exists. It is a map to national suicide.

[Honestfreedom]

If Sharon accepts a roadmap where Israel makes all these tangible concessions while the Arabs retain a demand for the right of return (which means the destruction of Israel) then Sharon is a fool.

[tomahawk]

There is no roadmap to peace with terrorists. There is war and either the terrorists win or they are defeated.

[FreedomCalls]

This has Colin Powell's name written all over it.

[LarryM]

American officials told senior Israeli officials that they are under heavy pressure from Arab countries to make Israel accept the road map. They made clear that the issue of "acceptance" not become an obstacle to its implementation, giving the Palestinians an excuse not to act against the terror groups. The administration has also rejected Israel's distinction between Bush's June 24 speech and the road map meant to implement it.

Again, Bush has abandoned his principles and capitulated to Arab threats. The road map is a 21st century Munich agreement with Bush playing the role of Chamberlain.

[Brian S]

President George W. Bush is considering inviting Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to a three-way summit in Geneva, possibly next week, when Bush is attending a G8 summit.

This has Colin Powell's name written all over it

Sounds like GWB has a role in this 'gig' also, if true.

[LarryM]

It's called the Bush Administration, not the Powell Administration. If Bush accepts the appeasement policies of the State Dept. then he is responsible.

[SJackson]

Before getting too excited I'd consider the source, Ha'aretz, who'd follow the road map into the sea. Sharon has essentially accepted with reservations already, and I'd guess Weinglass and Rice are hashing out a pretty face to put on Sharon's acceptance, with conditions. I don't see GWB giving in to Arafat, and everyone other than the State Dept sees through the Mazen ploy and understands Yasser is in control on the ground.

[ex-snook]

The problem has always been that Palestinians want all of the West Bank with the Jewish people gone and the Jewish people want all of the West Bank and all the Palestinian people gone.

The Palestine version of 'peace' is they want the Jewish people blown into 'pieces'. The Jewish version of 'peace' is they want to take over the Palestian terrority one 'piece' at a time.

Now Bush and just about the rest of the world have reached a Solomon-like solution to split it in two. The US should establish a presence and monitor the border and guarantee fixed and secure borders for both and allow peace to grow. It's a solution that has not been tried yet.

[LarryM]

The same reports came from other sources besides Ha'aretz. Bush has already capitulated to Arafat in toto by abandoning his June 24 principles and going along with the Abu Mazen ploy. He goes through these periods of capitulation and appeasement, such as in October 2001, when Bush was kissing up to the Arabs, Sharon had to actually warn him about a Munich scenario. We are back again at Munich. This plan is the road map to Auschwitz and cannot be accepted by Israel.

[MissAmericanPie]

You would think a Christian would fear God. The entire USofA could get a real hard smack down messing around in God's territory. Even should it be implemented and seem a good deal at the time, things that seem a good deal to men don't always sit well with the Almighty. The Arabs want Isreal gone and the next fight will be over who holds the deed to Jerusalem, as has been typical of their terrorist tactics. Get one thing, demand another and keep killing and screaming about how unfair everyone is to them until they get their way.

God's told the world "hands off", I think saints and sinners, believers and unbelievers should pay attention to those words in that Bible that describe where we are now thousands of years later, down to a "t".

"I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to the nations round about; and a burdensome stone. All that burden themselves with it shall be dashed in pieces, even should the whole world come against it".

I take those as words to live by, or die by for the stubborn. I would hate to be the President standing before the Almighty on judgement day trying to explain what a good idea it was to demand Isreal to put up with what his own nation would kill over. This government has dragged it's citizens around, ignored it's duties and laws, abused their oaths and, rather than defend, have instead defied it's constitution, turned the nation into a third world flop house, stolen from their own children's future for the sake of strangers with bad intentions and no legitimacy, but Armegeddon and the wrath of God, is one place we should really protest being dragged to.

[montag813]

F**K THE ROADMAP

[montag813]

Israel cannot accept this thing as it exists. It is a map to national suicide.

That isn't important. Only Karl Rove's "Peacemaker" electoral fantasies matter, not a few hundred more dead Jews. Just as his race politics fantasies are more important than the security of our borders.

[dennisw]

The problem has always been that Palestinians want all of the West Bank with the Jewish people gone and the Jewish people want all of the West Bank and all the Palestinian people gone.

That is a stone lie. Israel wants peace and quiet from Palestinians a lot more then the West Bank. Only problem is treaties with Islamics ain't worth jack. They get violated and trashed when the time is right for them to make their move. But then you knew that and decided to tell lies anyway.

[montag813]

The problem has always been that Palestinians want all of the West Bank with the Jewish people gone and the Jewish people want all of the West Bank and all the Palestinian people gone.

All I want is for you stop being full of sh*t.

What a stupid post. So what did the Arabs want in 1967, when they controlled ALL of the West Bank, Gaza, Golan and ALL of Jerusalem? They still tried to drive all the Jews into the sea, while the Jews just wanted to live in peace. You don't have to look too far back to make a lie of the "middle ground" argument. The middle ground between good and evil is called appeasement, and cowardice.

[moodyskeptic]

Interesting, indeed.

Bush has, so far, been two steps ahead of the current dialog. He sets up ground rules that are guaranteed to betray his opponents true agenda. He allowed BinLaden and Hussein several chances to come clean, knowing full well that they could not meet the very first condition.

Bush says we can work with a Palestinian state that does not engage in bombings and terrorism and that agrees to accept Isreal, knowing full well that they cannot meet this primary condition.

Chess, not checkers.

[mitchbert]

Chess, not checkers.

Exactly. Give the demands some life...watch them be altered and rejected...move to the next stage without the previous rejectors.

Trying to analyze President Bush's approach before it's actually executed is an act of futility. He's two or three steps ahead of anyone trying to interpret what he's doing.

Transformation is coming to the Middle East in the next 10-20 years, with my bets on the shorter time frame. We will look back and credit President Bush for this victory.

Just my humble opinion. :-)

[clockwork]

The problem has always been that Palestinians want all of the West Bank with the Jewish people gone and the Jewish people want all of the West Bank and all the Palestinian people gone. The Palestine version of 'peace' is they want the Jewish people blown into 'pieces'. The Jewish version of 'peace' is they want to take over the Palestian terrority one 'piece' at a time.

LOL, great post...this is exactly the problem. Hopefully, Dubya will get the parties to change the paradigmn and get on with the future. If not, maybe we decide not to make that next 12 billion dollar annual installment to Israel and let the parties fight it out.