Powell: Peace Process Will Not Be Stopped by Bombs

Reuters ^ | Tue August 12, 2003 12:19 PM ET

[yonif]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell said "we will not be stopped by bombs" after a pair of Palestinian suicide bombings killed two Israelis on Tuesday and threatened to derail U.S. peace efforts. Speaking to a group of Israeli and Arab students in a speech, Powell argued the United States and others pressing Israelis and Arabs to end nearly three years of violence would not be deterred by the latest killings.

"I have already seen reports (on television that say) 'Well, the road map is now finished; or the cease-fire is over; or this is all off track.' No it is not. We cannot let it go off track. We will continue to move forward on the road map. We will continue to do everything we can," Powell said.

"We will not be stopped by bombs. We will not be stopped by this kind of violence because we owe it to you, we owe it to you to give you a better world," Powell told the students.

The suicide bombings at an Israeli supermarket and a West Bank bus stop threatened to undermine a three-month truce proclaimed by Palestinian militant leaders on June 29 and the broader U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan.

The Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Jordanian, Tunisian and U.S. students were brought together for a three-week camp in Maine by the "Seeds of Peace" group that seeks to promote understanding among young people from regions of conflict.

Powell, who recently dismissed as "nonsense" a Washington Post report that he and his deputy Richard Armitage did not plan to serve in a second term if President Bush wins re-election, alluded to his eventual retirement but gave no date.

"You will get it (the world). In the not too distant future, it'll be yours. I will have retired and gone on to something else, others will have retired or gone elsewhere, gone to meet their maker, who knows, but it will be yours," Powell said.

"That is why it is so important that you get to know more about each other ... (to) get a better understanding of the concerns, the anxieties, the anguish, the fears, the hopes, the dreams that other young people such as you have regardless of what language you speak or what country you came from or (what) religion you hold," he said.

[yonif]

"I have already seen reports (on television that say) 'Well, the road map is now finished; or the cease-fire is over; or this is all off track.' No it is not. We cannot let it go off track. We will continue to move forward on the road map. We will continue to do everything we can," Powell said.

I am too mad and disgusted to even comment on this.

[Cyber Liberty]

Secretary of State Colin Powell said "we will not be stopped by bombs" after a pair of Palestinian suicide bombings killed two Israelis on Tuesday and threatened to derail U.S. peace efforts.

This has got to be the stupidest thing I've heard issue from Powell's pie-hole. And the comptetion's been rough.

[Cyber Liberty]

Your pull-quote is easily translated: "We want Israel to give up everything the Palies want, and should not expect the Palies to live up to their half of the bargain."

[MatthewViti]

Erez Hershkovitz, 18, one of two Israeli victims in two separate suicide bombings Tuesday. Thanks to Bush and his "Roadmap", and forcing Israel to release terrorists, we're likely to see more innocent Israelies killed.

[Bobby777]

hopefully he won't kiss Yasser Arafat while he's over there ...

[MatthewViti]

bttt

[week 71]

Only in Israel is the murder of innocent civilians ignored.

[hopespringseternal]

You couldn't pay me enough to run around saying things this stupid. It is beneath any serious person's dignity and Powell shames himself by doing it.

The Palestinians are animals and the Israelis have the right idea: Build a fence around them and let'em kill each other.

[MatthewViti]

bttt

[LarryM]

We can add two more victims to the Bush Deathwatch.

[veronica]

The roadmap to "peace" will continue, no matter how many innocent Jews die on the way. Do I have that right?

[marron]

Powell: "The peace process will not respond to reality"

The only workable roadmap to peace is for Israel to unilaterally choose a defensible border, and seal it. Those Israelis living outside the line must be compensated and relocated to the safe side of the line. Those Arabs on the Israeli side of the line who are unwilling to live peacefully among Israelis must be likewise compensated and relocated to the Arab zone.

There should be no overland crossing at all into Israel permitted. Arabs wishing to enter Israel on business can come by air. The arab sector, cut off completely from Israeli markets and employment, will have to re-establish ties to Jordan, and must resume its status as a Jordanian province. Gaza, cut off similarly, must focus on its ties to Egypt, and should be simply absorbed into Egypt.

Once the line is established and sealed, any negotiations on its final location should be between between Israel and Jordan. No other countries have any standing in the discussions.

There will never be an independent West Bank. Such an entity has no viability at all, and the time spent trying to create a state there is simply time wasted, which translates into lives lost and lives wasted.

[Myrddin]

Colin Powell insists that nothing will deter the roadmap.

[MatthewViti]

sadly LarryM that is true :[

am yisrael chai

[yonif]

We can add two more victims to the Bush Deathwatch.

I'd say about 60 Israelis have been murdered since the Roadmap was launched, including 7 or 8 since hudna was announced. Of course, you can add to that a few dozen injured and maimed for life.

[Diogenesis]

Powell = Forever the Liason to Terrorists from Saudi Arabia to Hamas and Fatah

Americans are questioning the honesty of some
in this Administration in the Fight Against Terror.

[tomahawk]

It's easy to say when the bombs aren't going off in your country, killing your women and children. But Powell reports to GW, so GW is accountable for this policy.

[Alouette]

The suicide bombings at an Israeli supermarket and a West Bank bus stop threatened to undermine a three-month truce

Earth to Powell: the "truce" hasn't been undermined, it's been freakin' NUKED!