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Sharon defies Bush‘s call to end ‘storms of violence‘
By PAUL KORING
Friday, April 5, 2002 – Page A1
Globe and Mail
WASHINGTON -- Fearing an uncontrollable war, U.S. President George W. Bush abandoned his hands-off Middle East policy yesterday as he ordered direct diplomatic intervention and bluntly told Israel to end its massive military operation in the West Bank.
In a sharp change in attitude toward the escalating conflict, the President demanded an end to the military occupation of Palestinian cities and towns, a withdrawal of troops and "respect for and concern about the dignity of the Palestinian people."
He also ordered Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region to revive ceasefire talks.
"The storms of violence cannot go on," Mr. Bush said.
"Enough is enough."
U.S. diplomats followed up with a resolution to the UN Security Council, which was unanimously endorsed, demanding that Israel withdraw from Palestinian cities "without delay," a move the Israeli government immediately rejected.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has already declared his country "at war" with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said the military operation will continue until the roots of a recent wave of suicide attacks were destroyed.
"Palestinian terror and its organizers must be defeated first," his spokesman said.
Tossing Washington a diplomatic crumb, Mr. Sharon said he will allow U.S. peace envoy Anthony Zinni to see Mr. Arafat, who is still besieged by Israeli tanks in the ruins of his Ramallah headquarters.
Mr. Bush‘s dramatic shift came as Israeli tanks, soldiers and helicopter gunships continued to advance deep into the West Bank, enraging the Arab world and drawing condemnation from a growing list of Western countries.
Israeli forces clamped down on the West Bank‘s largest city, Nablus, a day after taking control of it.
Four Israeli troops and five Palestinians were killed yesterday, including the bell ringer for Bethlehem‘s besieged Church of the Nativity.
The Palestinians, enduring fierce Israeli military strikes in nearly every West Bank city, welcomed Mr. Bush‘s tough demands and his decision to dispatch Mr. Powell to broker talks next week.
Mr. Bush delivered "the maximum that we could expect from the United States President at this time, with all the commitments and alignments with the Israelis," said Marwan Kanafani, a senior adviser to Mr. Arafat.
"I‘m realistic. I don‘t expect him to come and say the Palestinians are right and the Israelis are wrong. He went as far as he could, and this is something we appreciate," Mr. Kanafani said.
A senior U.S. official, briefing journalists in Washington on condition that he not be identified by name, said Mr. Bush "had to act to try to stop what we saw as a spiralling level of violence that might expand beyond the current area."
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan -- Washington‘s closest Arab allies, all vital to the U.S.-led war on terrorism and any effort to oust Iraq‘s Saddam Hussein -- had put intense pressure on Mr. Bush to intervene.
The President reiterated his demand that Mr. Arafat condemn and curtail terrorist attacks, saying the Palestinian leader had "betrayed the hopes of the people he is supposed to lead" by failing to honour his pledges to renounce terrorism.
But his harshest language was directed at Israel and Mr. Sharon.
"Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories must stop and the occupation must end," Mr. Bush said.
He spoke as "a committed friend of Israel, he said."
Mr. Bush said he wanted Mr. Sharon to "halt the incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and begin the withdrawal."
He issued no timetable or deadline, but it was inconceivable that Mr. Powell would be expected to wade past the Israeli army‘s tanks and barbed wire to meet Mr. Arafat in the badly damaged rubble of his Ramallah compound, where the Palestinian leader is effectively besieged without water or electricity.
Mr. Powell‘s hastily arranged trip will be the Bush administration‘s first high-level foray into the minefield of Middle East peace talks. Earlier this month, U.S. Vice-President **** Cheney declined to meet Mr. Arafat, consistent with the now-abandoned policy of staying disengaged until a ceasefire was in place.
Mr. Powell will also see Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.
Yesterday, Mr. Bush put a heavy burden on Arab countries to help deliver peace, but warned others to cease meddling.
"It is not enough for Arab nations to defend the Palestinian cause; they must truly help the Palestinian people by seeking peace, fighting terror and promoting development," he said.
BUSH‘S DEMANDS
For Ariel Sharon
- Withdraw Israeli troops from Palestinian cities in the West Bank
- Stop all settlement activities in the occupied territories
- End the occupation by withdrawing to secure and recognize boundaries
- Stop humiliating ordinary Palestinians
For Yasser Arafat
- Stop all terrorist activities
- Stop glorifying suicide bombers in the media
- Order an immediate crackdown on terrorist networks
- Resume security co-operation with Israel
For Arab states
- Stop financing Palestinian terrorism
- Embrace the Saudi peace plan that accepts the state of Israel
- Syria must act against Hamas and Hezbollah
- Iran must stop shipping arms to the Palestians
I think he should have added that a failure to meet the demands will result in a Mid-East repeat of NATO‘s Kosovo campaing. The Israelis would be forced out. An International Palestinian Force would remain in place to impose past agreements and international resulutions, dissarm the populace and rebuild a legitimate police force. I think Arab nations would accept the move. However, both sides could probably be happier with a resolution they develope themselves . . . this alternative would be the incentive to actuly get down to it.
By PAUL KORING
Friday, April 5, 2002 – Page A1
Globe and Mail
WASHINGTON -- Fearing an uncontrollable war, U.S. President George W. Bush abandoned his hands-off Middle East policy yesterday as he ordered direct diplomatic intervention and bluntly told Israel to end its massive military operation in the West Bank.
In a sharp change in attitude toward the escalating conflict, the President demanded an end to the military occupation of Palestinian cities and towns, a withdrawal of troops and "respect for and concern about the dignity of the Palestinian people."
He also ordered Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region to revive ceasefire talks.
"The storms of violence cannot go on," Mr. Bush said.
"Enough is enough."
U.S. diplomats followed up with a resolution to the UN Security Council, which was unanimously endorsed, demanding that Israel withdraw from Palestinian cities "without delay," a move the Israeli government immediately rejected.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has already declared his country "at war" with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said the military operation will continue until the roots of a recent wave of suicide attacks were destroyed.
"Palestinian terror and its organizers must be defeated first," his spokesman said.
Tossing Washington a diplomatic crumb, Mr. Sharon said he will allow U.S. peace envoy Anthony Zinni to see Mr. Arafat, who is still besieged by Israeli tanks in the ruins of his Ramallah headquarters.
Mr. Bush‘s dramatic shift came as Israeli tanks, soldiers and helicopter gunships continued to advance deep into the West Bank, enraging the Arab world and drawing condemnation from a growing list of Western countries.
Israeli forces clamped down on the West Bank‘s largest city, Nablus, a day after taking control of it.
Four Israeli troops and five Palestinians were killed yesterday, including the bell ringer for Bethlehem‘s besieged Church of the Nativity.
The Palestinians, enduring fierce Israeli military strikes in nearly every West Bank city, welcomed Mr. Bush‘s tough demands and his decision to dispatch Mr. Powell to broker talks next week.
Mr. Bush delivered "the maximum that we could expect from the United States President at this time, with all the commitments and alignments with the Israelis," said Marwan Kanafani, a senior adviser to Mr. Arafat.
"I‘m realistic. I don‘t expect him to come and say the Palestinians are right and the Israelis are wrong. He went as far as he could, and this is something we appreciate," Mr. Kanafani said.
A senior U.S. official, briefing journalists in Washington on condition that he not be identified by name, said Mr. Bush "had to act to try to stop what we saw as a spiralling level of violence that might expand beyond the current area."
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan -- Washington‘s closest Arab allies, all vital to the U.S.-led war on terrorism and any effort to oust Iraq‘s Saddam Hussein -- had put intense pressure on Mr. Bush to intervene.
The President reiterated his demand that Mr. Arafat condemn and curtail terrorist attacks, saying the Palestinian leader had "betrayed the hopes of the people he is supposed to lead" by failing to honour his pledges to renounce terrorism.
But his harshest language was directed at Israel and Mr. Sharon.
"Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories must stop and the occupation must end," Mr. Bush said.
He spoke as "a committed friend of Israel, he said."
Mr. Bush said he wanted Mr. Sharon to "halt the incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and begin the withdrawal."
He issued no timetable or deadline, but it was inconceivable that Mr. Powell would be expected to wade past the Israeli army‘s tanks and barbed wire to meet Mr. Arafat in the badly damaged rubble of his Ramallah compound, where the Palestinian leader is effectively besieged without water or electricity.
Mr. Powell‘s hastily arranged trip will be the Bush administration‘s first high-level foray into the minefield of Middle East peace talks. Earlier this month, U.S. Vice-President **** Cheney declined to meet Mr. Arafat, consistent with the now-abandoned policy of staying disengaged until a ceasefire was in place.
Mr. Powell will also see Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.
Yesterday, Mr. Bush put a heavy burden on Arab countries to help deliver peace, but warned others to cease meddling.
"It is not enough for Arab nations to defend the Palestinian cause; they must truly help the Palestinian people by seeking peace, fighting terror and promoting development," he said.
BUSH‘S DEMANDS
For Ariel Sharon
- Withdraw Israeli troops from Palestinian cities in the West Bank
- Stop all settlement activities in the occupied territories
- End the occupation by withdrawing to secure and recognize boundaries
- Stop humiliating ordinary Palestinians
For Yasser Arafat
- Stop all terrorist activities
- Stop glorifying suicide bombers in the media
- Order an immediate crackdown on terrorist networks
- Resume security co-operation with Israel
For Arab states
- Stop financing Palestinian terrorism
- Embrace the Saudi peace plan that accepts the state of Israel
- Syria must act against Hamas and Hezbollah
- Iran must stop shipping arms to the Palestians
I think he should have added that a failure to meet the demands will result in a Mid-East repeat of NATO‘s Kosovo campaing. The Israelis would be forced out. An International Palestinian Force would remain in place to impose past agreements and international resulutions, dissarm the populace and rebuild a legitimate police force. I think Arab nations would accept the move. However, both sides could probably be happier with a resolution they develope themselves . . . this alternative would be the incentive to actuly get down to it.
