Emile, That is really helpful to the peace process; expropriate more land.
Notice what the "hard choices" Israel is expected to face are.
U.S. Prods Israel For Hard Choices On Palestinians
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
and STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: February 7, 2005
JERUSALEM, Feb. 6 — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, proclaiming that "a time of optimism" had arrived in the Middle East, conferred with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday and called on Israel to make "hard decisions" in negotiations with Palestinian leaders as they wage their own fight against militants.
"We will have to, all of us, make certain that there is an effective fight against terrorism, because security and terrorism are at the core of peaceful existence," Ms. Rice said after a meeting with Israeli leaders. The hard decisions, she added, "must be taken in order to promote peace and to help the emergence of a democratic Palestinian state."
She did not elaborate on the decisions to be made by Israel, but Bush administration officials say Israel needs to proceed with its withdrawal of forces from West Bank cities, its lifting of roadblocks and checkpoints throughout the occupied territories, and the possible release of Palestinian prisoners. An Israeli official said Ms. Rice also asked Israeli leaders not to undermine the political standing of Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian president.
The visit by Ms. Rice on her first trip abroad as secretary of state heightened optimism toward eased tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. She arrived only a few days before Mr. Sharon was to meet Mr. Abbas for a summit at the Egyptian resort Sharm el Sheik, the first such high-level contact between the sides since the Palestinian uprising known as the intifada began four years ago.
What exactly could come from that meeting remained unclear. But Palestinian and Israeli officials have indicated that Mr. Abbas may announce a long-term cease-fire with the Israelis, and that Israel could reciprocate and formalize an agreement not to hunt wanted Palestinian militants unless they are engaged in planning or carrying out an attack on Israel.
The two sides have been discussing such an agreement, under which wanted Palestinians would be asked to sign a pledge to stop their attacks, surrender their weapons and remain in their hometowns. Under such an agreement, other militants would be granted conditional amnesty and invited to join the Palestinian police force.
Ms. Rice spoke to reporters after she met with the Israeli foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, and before a working dinner with Mr. Sharon. She planned to meet with Mr. Abbas on Monday at the Palestinian headquarters in Ramallah, the burial place of Yasir Arafat. Despite the publicity surrounding Ms. Rice's visit, no disclosures were made of new steps being taken by Israelis or Palestinians. Although Ms. Rice's mere presence raised some hope for more movement, American and Israeli officials said it would be better now for the United States to stand aside and let Israelis and Palestinians work together.
Apparently some discussion had occurred about whether Ms. Rice would go to Sharm el Sheik for the Palestinian-Israeli summit meeting on Tuesday, which also will be attended by President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and King Abdullah II of Jordan. But a Bush administration official said the idea had been dropped.
"It's a good thing when the parties and the regional leaders can push this forward on their own," Ms. Rice told an Israeli television interviewer. "You needn't worry. The United States will be there whenever needed."
An Israeli official said that in her private meeting with Mr. Shalom, Ms. Rice had urged Israel to act to ease conditions for Palestinians to shore up the political standing of Mr. Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. Specifically, the official said, she warned Israel not to make unilateral steps, such as expanding settlements in an area near Jerusalem, that would undercut Mr. Abbas.
Mr. Shalom, in turn, assured Ms. Rice that Israel was pleased with certain moves by Mr. Abbas, such as deploying Palestinian security forces in Gaza, stopping rocket attacks from Gaza to Israel and lowering the level of incendiary talk aimed at inciting attacks on Israelis, the Israeli official said. |
