Bush is really keeping up the pressure on the Pals with his refusal to deal with Arafat.
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September 18, 2003
Bush Blames Arafat for Undercutting Peace Efforts
By DAVID STOUT NEW YORK TIMES
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 — President Bush acknowledged today that efforts toward peace in the Middle East had stalled and he blamed the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, whom he branded a failure.
But Mr. Bush restated his commitment to a "road map" for peace and said a new Palestinian leadership would ease the way.
"I remain committed, solidly committed to the vision of two states living side by side in peace and security," Mr. Bush said, referring to Israel and a future Palestinian state. "Yet that would only happen with new Palestinian leadership committed to fighting terror, not compromised by terror."
The president met reporters at Camp David, Md., with King Abdullah II of Jordan by his side. Mr. Bush praised the king as "a reformer who's working to build a country that is tolerant and modern and prosperous" and a man dedicated to peace throughout the Middle East.
"I look forward to discussing with His Majesty how we can encourage Palestinian reform; how we can work together to fight off the terrorists who want to destroy the hopes of many; and how we can move forward to peace, peace in a region that needs peace," Mr. Bush said.
Mr. Bush recalled that King Abdullah was host at a meeting in June at which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas, who was then the Palestinian prime minister, condemned terrorism and pledged to work together for a lasting peace.
But Mr. Abbas's efforts "were undermined, and that's why we're now stalled," Mr. Bush lamented. "At every turn, he was undercut by the old order."
Mr. Bush not only blamed the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat for undercutting Mr. Abbas, who resigned recently as prime minister, but once again made clear his deep disdain for Mr. Arafat.
"Mr. Arafat has failed as a leader," the president said. "Prime Minister Abbas was undermined at all turns by the old order." If the Palestinians truly want peace, Mr. Bush said, "they must have leadership who is absolutely 100 percent committed to fighting off terror."
The king, who was at Camp David with his wife, Queen Rania, said he was "particularly honored by the strong, genuine dedication" that Mr. Bush had shown in "trying to make our part of the world a better place."
Mr. Bush said he looked forward to hearing the king's suggestions on how best to obtain a United Nations resolution backing international efforts to impose a peace on Iraq. "He's got pretty good antennae," Mr. Bush said.
The president described the king as important not just for the prospects of a United Nations resolution but for promoting a free, prosperous Iraq as a neighbor. "A free Iraq will mean this good man will have a partner in peace, somebody with whom he can work to not only establish good trade, but to work for additional peace," Mr. Bush said. "And it's in Europe's interests that that happen. And so we will continue to make the case that reconstruction aid is necessary."
The president and the king's meeting at Camp David was moved up a day out of concern that the hurricane bearing down on the Atlantic coast would disrupt arrangements. As the two men spoke at midmorning, Washington was virtually shut down under a slate-gray sky. "All right, get going before it starts raining," Mr. Bush said in closing the question-answer session.
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