[Mb-civic] Rice puts pressure on Israel to support Palestinian state as precursor to peace

[Michael Butler]

Independent Home | News | Sport | Comment | Education | Motoring | Money |
Jobs | Travel | Enjoyment

Home   > News  > World  > Middle East
Rice puts pressure on Israel to support Palestinian state as precursor to
peace
By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
07 February 2005

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, urged Israel last night to
continue making the "hard decisions" needed for the creation of a
Palestinian state as she arrived for talks with the leadership of both
sides.

Ms Rice went out of her way in her first meetings to caution Israel against
taking steps that would undermine the new Palestinian President, Mahmoud
Abbas, proclaiming it was a "time of optimism because fundamental changes
are underway in the Middle East as a whole".

Ms Rice, who will meet Mr Abbas in Ramallah this morning issued a specific
caution. Before meeting the Israeli Foreign Minister, Sylvan Shalom, she
warned against steps in Jerusalem that could weaken Palestinian support for
Mr Abbas.

Palestinians see the planned seizure of land in the city from its West Bank
owners - overturned last week by Menachem Mazuz, Israel's Attorney General -
as only one of a series of steps deliberately expanding the Jewish presence
in Arab East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of a future
state.

The visit by Ms Rice, who met the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, for
dinner last night, opened a week of the most intense Middle East diplomacy
since the beginning of the Palestinian uprising four and half years ago. The
meetings will culminate in tomorrow's summit between Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas
in Sharm El Sheikh.

The immediate crisis over prisoner releases that had threatened a smooth
run-up to the summit appeared to have been defused, at least in the short
term, by Israel's agreement to form a joint committee with the Palestinians
for considering who should qualify.

During talks with Mr Shalom, Ms Rice praised Israel for its response to the
fragile fortnight-old truce but cautioned Israel against taking steps which
might undermine Mr Abbas's leadership. Mr Shalom had earlier told her that:
"We all want [Mr Abbas] to succeed."

Mr Shalom, whose hawkish public statements on the advances since Mr Abbas'
election have been partly tuned to his base on the Likud right, had earlier
treated Ms Rice to a double-edged analysis on the progress to date.

On a "glass half-full" estimate, Israeli officials quoted him as having told
the Secretary of State that Mr Abbas had done "very positive things," had
deployed security forces in Gaza and largely prevented Qassam rockets being
fired into Israel. But on a "glass half-empty" analysis, he had failed to
disarm or arrest militants. Mr Shalom added "there has to be a strategic
decision against terrorism".

Nor had Mr Abbas, reportedly at loggerheads with his Prime Minister, Ahmed
Qureia, yet formed a new Cabinet, Mr Shalom pointed out.

After their meeting, Mr Shalom said that he had laid out Israel's demands of
the Palestinians. "If the Palestinians do not do everything to halt the
smuggling of weapons through tunnels, close the tunnels, close the weapons
workshops, gather up illegal weapons - we would simply be giving the violent
groups time to regroup and then carry out terror attacks that could collapse
the whole process," he said.

While stressing the fundamental importance of Israel going ahead with its
plan to disengage from Gaza, the Secretary of State was said to have
stressed the importance of both the Israelis and the Palestinians honouring
their commitments to the road map to peace.

Israeli officials acknowledged that was a clear, if implicit, reference to
the need to dismantle illegal outposts and settlements as well the
Palestinian obligation to begin disarming and dismantling the infrastructure
of armed factions.

Paul Patin, a spokesman for the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, had said earlier
that Ms Rice would bring up a wide range of issues. These included Israel's
commitment to start dismantling outposts and the need for gestures to the
Palestinians, such as removing checkpoints, which would bolster confidence
in the new leadership.

Senior officials were at pains to pour cold water on media reports that Ms
Rice's visit was unwelcome to Israel after her comments last Monday. She
said that Israel needed to "make fundamental choices" in order to ensure the
creation of a "contiguous" Palestinian state without which a lasting peace
would be impossible.

Advisers to Mr Sharon have made no secret of their unwillingness to see
early moves to "final status" talks under the road map, which would require
tackling the sensitive issues of borders, refugees and the status of
Jerusalem. Ms Rice said: "I hope we all get into a mindset that says if the
parties are able to move on their own, that's the very best outcome."
Also in Middle East
Rice pledges 'security co-ordinator' to help Abbas
Rice puts pressure on Israel to support Palestinian state as precursor to
peace
Kidnap gangs of Iraq pursue profit under the banner of Islam
Rice keeps up heat on Iran as she heads for Middle East talks
'We do not get many bombs like this here... we feared this would happen'

Legal |  Contact us |  Using our Content |  © 2004 Independent Digital (UK)
Ltd