washtimes.com
Excerpt:
Having arranged the deal to free Mr. Arafat from his monthlong captivity in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Mr. Bush said: "Chairman Arafat is now free to move around and free to lead, and we expect him to do so. One of the things he must do is condemn and thwart terrorist activities."
He called Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Saturday - three times, according to the Israeli government - and dispatched diplomats to negotiate directly with Mr. Arafat. Mr. Sharon will visit the White House early next month, said White House spokesman Sean McCormack.
Mr. Bush won agreement on his proposal that U.S. and British civilian officers guard six Palestinians who are wanted by Israel on assassination charges and are being kept in Mr. Arafat's Ramallah headquarters, besieged for a month. In return, Israeli troops would withdraw from Ramallah and Mr. Arafat would be allowed to leave his compound and move freely in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Both sides approved the proposal yesterday.
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Do you think that, this time, Sharon will get a bit of schmeer on his forthcoming visit to Washington? After all, Arafat was a prize hostage... I bet you the release of Arafat is worth $200 million. |
