British fears of having differences with the US over the ME
Regional-UK, Politics, 12/18/2001
Sources close to the British government disclosed strong fears of the British prime minister Tony Blair of the occurrence of great difference with the US because of the Middle East crisis.
In statements to the British " the Observer" paper, the sources said that while special internal political considerations influence of the Jewish lobby on the US President George Bush to stand by Israel, Blair desires to achieve quickly a permanent peace through negotiations.
The sources indicated that the Jewish ill support to Bush in the recent American elections has been trying to improve his performance so as not to anger this lobby.
The sources also stressed that Bush fears any measure against Israel which escalated its military operations and re-occupied the Palestinian territories.
The sources also indicated that the British government doubts Bush's commitment towards reaching a settlement in the Middle East.
The " Observer" indicated the evidences to having differences between Washington and London have been enhanced under the British position which abstained from voting the recent UN resolution on deploying UN observers in the Palestinian territories to protect the Palestinian citizens from the Israeli bombardment.
arabicnews.com
[I think this may be the Observer article in question below...pb]
guardian.co.uk
Blair fears split with US over its support for Israel
Palestinian children flee Israeli tanks
Kamal Ahmed, London and Ed Vulliamy, New York
Observer
Sunday December 16, 2001
Tony Blair fears a major split with America over the Middle East peace process as Israel continues to bombard northern and southern parts of Gaza in its search for terrorist suspects.
Number 10 sources have told The Observer that domestic considerations will force President Bush to stand foursquare behind Israel despite Blair's desire for a 'lasting peace' to be rapidly negotiated.
Bush, who won the presidency by only a handful of votes, believes any move against Israel will irritate the American Jewish lobby, which is described as 'increasingly right-wing'. He failed to pick up much Jewish support in the election and is trying to improve his performance.
Last week the President told a private briefing of American Jewish leaders that he was exasperated with Yasser Arafat's attempts to stop terrorist activity.
'In the end politicians only worry about one thing... winning the next election,' one senior figure close to the Prime Minister said.
As the Israeli incursions deep into the Gaza Strip yesterday left five Palestinians dead and more than 40 injured, the source said that, unlike in Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister is finding it increasingly difficult to 'punch through' diplomatically and make a difference. He said that America seemed unwilling to find a way through by putting pressure on Israel and that the outlook for the region was 'bleak'.
Number 10 privately doubts Bush's commitment to a solution in the Middle East.
Evidence of a rift between Britain and the US was strengthened yesterday when America vetoed a UN Security Council resolution defining the Palestinian Authority's 'essential role' in any future peace negotiations.
Blair wants to see Israel agreeing to withdraw from Palestinian Authority areas in return for security and terrorism guarantees from Arafat.
His proposals floundered after a series of suicide attacks over the past month. Many consider threats by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to sever links with Arafat as bordering on a declaration of war on the Palestinian Authority.
The Palestinian representative at the UN, Nasser al-Kidwa, said that the cutting of links undermined all existing arrangements and precluded further negotiations. This, he declared, represented an 'immense danger' that could 'plunge the whole region into war'.
Bush now appears to be throwing his weight behind Sharon revealing, Downing Street officials say, that his relationship with Arafat is cooler than Blair's.
At a press conference this weekend Bush laid the blame for violence at Arafat's door. He said he had dispatched his envoy Anthony Zinni to Arab nations in an effort to restore security arrangements and build confidence.
But in a clear signal of American sympathies, Bush said: 'So long as there are killers and people who would derail the peace process by murdering others, it's going to be very difficult to do.'
Bush's position has caused tensions within his own administration. Last month, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced a fresh initiative designed to get the US back into a revived peace process that would recognise a Palestinian state. This week, officials expressed their concern for the way it had been 'casually' disposed of. |
