DID ANYONE notice that George Bush's popularity was at an all-time high until he began to SUGGEST that Israel give up PROMISED COVENANT LAND for PEACE??? It is very alarming that the USA, who has "seemed" to always be pro-Israel is now blatantly NOT! Woe to this country if it attempts to circumvent God's Covenant -- and to Netanyahu if he does! Watch Israel -- it is the key to end times.
Jerusalem Post - 10/06/98
By DANNA HARMAN and news agencies
JERUSALEM (October 6) - The Americans are hoping to cap off Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit here with a three-way
meeting tomorrow with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, sources said
yesterday.
Whether such a meeting is held will depend on the outcome of Albright's talks here, and would signify that progress had been
made, the sources indicated. She was to arrive in Jerusalem in the early hours of the morning and is scheduled to meet with both
Netanyahu and Arafat separately during the day. This is her first trip to the region in over a year.
Police are beefing up forces in the city for Albright's visit. The General Security Service received warnings that terrorist groups may
try to kidnap high-level politicians. The IDF announced that the closure, imposed on Friday, would continue through the intermediate
days of Succot.
Besides the meetings with Netanyahu and Arafat, Albright is scheduled to meet with Labor Party leader Ehud Barak and President
Ezer Weizman. In addition, she is sure to get briefings from the joint committees on safe passage, the airport, and the industrial
park at Karni - all of which resumed work on Sunday and are scheduled to meet again today.
Albright will stay in the region until tomorrow, leaving behind US special envoy Dennis Ross and Assistant Secretary of State Martin
Indyk. The two men will continue shuttling between the sides throughout the week in preparation for the Washington summit,
involving Clinton, Netanyahu, and Arafat, planned for later this month.
State Department spokesman James Rubin said yesterday he does not expect Albright to "come away with all the issues
resolved." Rather, he said, her aim is to "whittle away, clear some underbrush," in advance of the next round.
Speaking at the annual gathering of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem last night, Netanyahu said only that "time
would tell" if an agreement will be reached in the upcoming meetings.
"In many ways it is up to the other side to make that decision," said Netanyahu to a roar of applause. "If they honor their part, there
will be agreement, if they do not, we will not make unilateral concessions."
He reiterated earlier this week that while he is not willing to take any security risks for the sake of a deal, he is willing to take the
political risks inherent in a redeployment.
Despite threats by hardliners to topple the government should a West Bank withdrawal of 13 percent be agreed upon, Netanyahu
has voiced confidence that the agreement, if clinched, will pass both the cabinet and the Knesset.
MK Michael Kleiner, head of the Land of Israel Front, said in response that while Netanyahu's moves may not be a "political risk,"
they are certainly a "political gamble," and would lead his party to support a no-confidence motion or push for the dissolution of
Knesset and the calling of early elections.
Netanyahu also said yesterday he had called US House Speaker Newt Gingrich over the weekend to update him on the trilateral
meeting in Washington last week.
Gingrich said he is pleased with the progress being made, and encouraged Netanyahu to return to the US for the mid-month summit
with President Bill Clinton and Arafat.
Netanyahu spokesman Aviv Bushinsky denied reports to the effect that Gingrich had accused Netanyahu of making Clinton "look
good" by agreeing to come to another series of meeting right before congressional elections.
US officials noted that as a rule, members of congress do not interfere with presidential foreign policy.
Steve Rodan and Mohammed Najib add:
Arafat's aides yesterday called on the Clinton administration to press Israel to accept the American plan for redeployment.
"The shortest way to reach an agreement is to bring an Israeli consent on the US proposals after they were accepted by PA
Chairman Yasser Arafat," PA negotiator Saeb Erekat said. "This is a time of action and decision and not for more procedural
issues."
Erekat said Albright will probably attend one of the meetings of the PA-Israeli committees to reach agreement on implementing the
interim accords. The heads of the committees met on Sunday, headed by Erekat and cabinet secretary Dan Naveh.
Other participants included PA Minister Hassan Asfour, PA security liaison Maj.-Gen. Abdul Razak Yehya, Preventive Security
Apparatus chief Col. Mohammed Dahlan, PA civil aviation chief Brig.-Gen. Fayez Zaiden, and Adnan Samara and Nasser Jaber, the
last two being responsible for industrial zones for the PA.
The Israeli side included OC Planning Maj.-Gen. Shlomo Yannai and government coordinator for the territories Maj.-Gen. Ya'acov Or.
Joining them were several US diplomats, including embassy chargé d'affaires Richard Roth and Consul-General in Jerusalem John
Herbst.
Erekat said the two sides discussed several issues, including the release of Palestinian prisoners, passage between Gaza and the
West Bank, the industrial zones, Gaza airport, and economic issues.
"These issues just need a decision by Netanyahu and we hope we will get this from the Israelis," Erekat said.
Regarding Israeli demands from the PA on combatting terrorism, Erekat said Netanyahu must accept the principle of mutuality. He
accused the Netanyahu government of demonstrating a lenient attitude toward those he termed Israeli terrorists, including Israelis
accused of killing Palestinians.
Arafat met in Ramallah on Sunday night with the Fatah central committee and discussed the results of his talks in Washington last
week. They also discussed, PA sources said, preparations for the declaration of a Palestinian state in May. |
