Sharon sticks to his guns; Arafat rejects Zinni truce plan

Ha'aretz ^ | 4/07/02 | Ha'aretz Staff

[kattracks]

U.S. President George W. Bush called Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last night and demanded that he withdraw the Israel Defense Forces from the Palestinian Authority "without delay."

Sharon promised Bush to make "every effort" to end the IDF operation as quickly as possible. He told the U.S. president Israel understood the American request, but the campaign was taking time due to the constraints on a military operation in an urban area and the precautions being taken so as not to harm Palestinian citizens.

During their conversation, Bush reiterated his friendship toward Israel.

Meanwhile, political sources in Jerusalem said yesterday that Sharon had no immediate plan to end the IDF operation in the territories. The sources said Sharon was sticking to the position he had presented to U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni on Thursday, namely that the military campaign would continue until it had achieved the objectives the government set - the defeat of Palestinian terrorism and its planners and perpetrators.

On Friday Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat rejected the proposals presented to him in his meeting with the U.S. envoy. Zinni asked Arafat to accept his cease-fire proposal, which Israel adopted last week, and to take "visible" steps to reduce violence on the ground. Zinni also passed on a demand from Sharon for Arafat to hand over wanted individuals, including the killers of former minister Rehavam Ze'evi, and illegal arms.

Arafat's rejection of the proposals, according to sources in Jerusalem, was for two reasons. The meeting on Friday was only the first between Zinni and the PA leader since the start of the IDF military operation in the territories, and the Palestinians are choosing to wait for the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region this week rather than make concessions to the envoy.

In Texas yesterday, U.S. President George W. Bush called on Israel to withdraw without delay from Palestinian cities it has occupied in its military campaign, and insisted again that the Palestinian leadership order an immediate cease-fire and crack down on terrorist activity.

"My words to Israel are the same today as they were a couple of days ago - withdraw without delay," Bush said at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Bush said he and Blair had agreed on what each side must do. Palestinians must order "an immediate and effective cease-fire" and control terrorists, "and we agree that Israel should halt incursions in the Palestinian-controlled areas and begin to withdraw without delay from those cities it has recently occupied," Bush said.

Furthermore, Bush called on Arab nations "to step up and lead, to lead against terror, to get an immediate cease-fire." Bush declined to answer a direct question on whether he considers Arafat a terrorist. "In order to earn my trust someone must keep his word, and Chairman Arafat has not kept his word," Bush said, again calling on the PA leader to speak out, in Arabic, and order his people to end terrorism against Israelis. "At the very minimum, he ought to at least say something," Bush said. "Chairman Arafat has failed at leadership and he's let his people down."

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell leaves for the region tonight on a quest for a cease-fire that could draw both sides into long-term peacemaking. For now, he has no plans to meet Arafat, another sign that the administration is seeking to marginalize the chairman of the PA in favor of other Arab leaders who might be more trustworthy in Bush's eyes.

Following a meeting Friday with Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan al-Muasher, Powell commented on the possibility of a meeting with Arafat. "Well, General Zinni met with Chairman Arafat today, and so obviously we can get to Chairman Arafat. It's just that my itinerary is still being worked at by my staff... [There are] no plans at this time, simply because there are no plans at this time, not that there won't be plans in due course."

Muasher said his meeting with Powell was "extremely productive" and both men stressed the importance of achieving a political settlement to the conflict and not just arranging a cease-fire. Powell praised Jordan's King Abdullah for his hard work on behalf of peace.

"The political dimension is key and we have to bring it as far forward and as early into the process as is possible," Powell added, noting that Bush's speech had constituted a firm U.S. recommitment to a political process.

Muasher welcomed Bush's speech and Powell's coming visit and expressed hope it would launch a process that would lead the region out of the cycle of bloodshed. "If Powell chooses not to meet Arafat, he will not meet any Palestinian official," senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said yesterday, adding that Arafat was the elected representative of the Palestinian people.

Erekat said he was responding to "trial balloons" concerning Powell's visit and said he hoped Israel would have withdrawn its forces from the West Bank by the time Powell arrived. "I hope that by the time Powell gets here, we will not have the Israeli forces in our towns and we will not have the closures," he said.

[The Great Satan]

Everything is going according to plan.

[My Identity]

Everything is going according to plan

I'm under the impression that it's Plan B.

[El Gato]

On Friday Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat rejected the proposals presented to him in his meeting with the U.S. envoy. Zinni asked Arafat to accept his cease-fire proposal, which Israel adopted last week, and to take "visible" steps to reduce violence on the ground

Once more Arafat rejects peace, even a mere ceasefire. On his head be it. I'm surprised General Zini didn't rip "General" Arafaft a new one, not mention taking a big strip out of his hide....then again, maybe he did. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that room. The real flys are probably getting pretty thich thereabouts, considering the recent increase in available "habitat".

[JudgeMan]

The way Bush demanded Israel's withdrawal and his body language doesn't augur well for Israel. Israel must stand up to such browbeating, now more than ever. Truly, with friends like this, who needs ...

[samtheman]

Dear President Bush,

What happened to the idea that "governments who harbor terrorists are themselves terrorists"?

Signed,

A Registered Republican Voter

[Sarah]

I agree about the body language and voice change. I really felt this urge of disgust towards Bush when he caved like that. Is he that clueless? Israel's finally had enough: stop, start, stop, start,...each time allowing Arafat's terrorists to gain information and regroup. They've HAD IT. And a terse Bush chop/chop motion: get out now won't cut it.

[My Identity]

I'm willing to give Bush a break here. He said "without delay" not "immediately." Bush knows Arafat is scum. The "without delay" can be interpreted as "don't delay your exit after you're done." And Sharon has promised as much to Bush, with his "we're hurrying, but avoiding civilian casualties is slowing us down" phone call.

Unfortunately, Bush needs Arab cooperation to take out Saddam. The flare up in the disputed territories is Araft's attempt to keep the Arabs out of Bush's column.

[samtheman]

I agree with you about the ACLU and the damage it's done. But they are not all Jews, and if the Jews amongst them were to leave, the ACLU would continue its evil work.

As for Israel, it's existence is in the American interest.

[IceGirl2]

I am sorry to interrupt thread--BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO LOG OFF OF FREE REPUBLIC. I don't like this new format and I don't like that logging off is a problem.

[VMI70]

I'm willing to give Bush a break here. He said "without delay" not "immediately." ... The "without delay" can be interpreted as "don't delay your exit after you're done."

Positively Clintonian.

[American in Israel]

Arafat's rejection of the proposals, according to sources in Jerusalem, was for two reasons. The meeting on Friday was only the first between Zinni and the PA leader since the start of the IDF military operation in the territories, and the Palestinians are choosing to wait for the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region this week rather than make concessions to the envoy.

Well then, I guess there is no problem with the IDF continuing with the present cleanout. Arafat turned down a truce. Would not want to disapoint him.

[My Identity]

Positively Clintonian.

There's no need to be insulting. Clinton did it to wiggle out of commitments, to lie to the public, to cover his a**, etc.

Bush is simply trying to navigate the Middle East currents, while keeping his larger objectives (defeat of terrorism, elimination of the (evolving) axis of evil) in view.

[ex-snook]

"Sharon sticks to his guns; "

'Upon further review" - a reversal - make that 'our' guns. Your tax dollars at work.