Posted on 01/30/2002 5:21:51 AM PST by knighthawk
OSLO, Norway - Norway's prime minister today criticized Israel's isolation of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat as pointless.
Norway is the home of the now troubled Oslo Agreement peace accord between Israel and Palestinians and has remained an active player in the peace process.
"There is no point in trying to isolate Arafat, and Israel and others must deal with him as the Palestinians' elected leader and as the Palestinians' foremost representative," Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik said.
Arafat has been confined to his headquarters in Ramallah on the West Bank for about two months, surrounded by Israeli troops in what UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday called "virtual house arrest."
Israel has said it won't let Arafat leave Ramallah until he meets demands to crack down on militants to stop attacks on Israel.
Bondevik said Norway has been in touch with both sides.
"We believe the Palestinian Authority must do more to stop terror and suicide actions, and we have said that Israel must most show greater restraint when it comes to retaliation," Bondevik said in answer to a question in parliament.
Looks like ol' Bloody Sharon needs to hire a different Public Relations firm!
Maybe he might even consider re-reading the Nov., 2001 speech President Bush gave to the United Nations on the establishment of an Independent Palestinian State.
Let them eat lutefisk.
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